Alley Cat
by kurokuun
Summary: Grimmjow has always had a lot of bad luck, but after a run-in with the Karakura police and a seemingly fated meeting with a certain orangette, he starts to think he may have a little good fortune after all. (This is my first fic so please, please, please leave your thoughts in a review for me *bows deeply* sorry crap summary is crap just try it.)
1. Chapter 1

"Alright Mr. Jaegerjaques, stand facing the right please."

_ Snap!_

"Left, please."

_ Snap!_

"And face the front for me."

_ Snap!_

"Okay Todd, you can take him back."

As Grimmjow Jaegerjaques was escorted to a holding cell from the booking area, his face appeared to be almost so apathetic that if he cared any less he may stop vital bodily function. The officer who held a loose grip on one of his cuffed wrists slid open the gate to the bleak cell in front of them and gestured for Grimmjow to enter. He did so and, knowing the drill by now, turned quickly and put his hands to the small opening in the bars behind him, waiting for his bindings to be released. With a few clicks the cuffs were gone and Grimmjow reflexively rubbed his wrists as the officer, "Todd", gave him a quick nod before stalking back to his post.

_This is why I fucking hate people, _Grimmjow thought, mildly irritated at his predicament. Just for the hell of it he attempted to recall all the charges listed to him when he was laying with his hands behind his head on his apartment floor. Disturbing the peace, destruction of public property, inciting a riot, assault, assault with a deadly weapon, aiding and abetting, possession of an unregistered firearm, and finally, his favorite, engaging in organized criminal activity. More than one of those were felony counts, and though there was the possibility of some being reduced or dropped, the odds were not in his favor.

Grimmjow sat on the concrete slab jutting out from the wall and leaned back against the cool concrete, slipping a hand into his bright blue hair. He listened to the ranting of the mentally ill and most likely high man staying three cells down, as he beat a hand against the bars and screamed something about Jimmy Hoffa. Across the hall was another man who was wailing and calling for his mother, seemingly so drunk that he probably didn't even know his own name.

It was going to be a long night.

He sighed quietly and moved to the stained floor, hooking his toes under one of the bars of his cage and placing his hands behind his head for the second time in the evening. Then he began doing the only thing that really ever seemed to make sense to him: working out. Over and over he laid back down and sat back up, his abdomen contracting and releasing in smooth motions, evenly paced with his breaths. The even, monotonous action numbed him into a dull state of comfort that allowed him to think.

He tried to identify the exact moment that caused everything to go to shit.

The most obvious answer was when he decided to get a drink two nights ago. After working his menial office job that consisted of filing, making copies, filing, getting coffee, and filing, he decided that without alcohol he may kill himself. This decision is what spawned the last forty-eight ours of sheer pandemonium. The moment when he opened the door to his usual waterhole, the Granz, receiving a knowing sneer from the pink haired owner and bartender, is when it all fell apart.

First was count one, disturbing the peace. After a quite a bit of goading from the people who flocked to him in the bar and at least four too many shots of hot amber liquid, he accepted a fight in the alley out back. For whatever reason, people (mostly delinquents) seemed to be drawn to Grimmjow, which was the root cause of the majority of the problems he had experienced in life. Because of this unwanted attraction, his street fight and turned from a wager between associates into a spectacle viewed by at least half of Karakura's miscreant youths who made quite the racket, leading to a call to the police for a noise violation. Hence his disruption of the peace.

Next, destruction of public property. In the midst of the fight, without meaning to, Grimmjow placed a well-aimed kick to his opponents chest, which sent him flying into the side of a dumpster. In his own defense Grimmjow argued that the dent made buy the other man's back was barely larger than a tire, and moreover it was a trash receptical anyway. But apparently someone then decided to light the contents of said dupster on fire, which Grimmjow could not rationalize away. So, destruction of public property.

Inciting a riot, assault, and assault with a deadly weapon all occured simultaneously once the police arrived. Grimmjow was destroying his opponent with ease, as usual, when a few burly men appeared, streaking down the alley and yelling, commanding the fifty or so people who were present to freeze. At this particular moment in time, Grimmjow had removed his knife he carried from his back pocket, looking to put it on his belt so no one could say he was trying to hide it. Of course he had been chosen out of the crowd, and the officer who saw him concluded that he had been stabbing the bloody man on the pavement in front of him. Again the officer screamed at him to freeze, and without hesitation Grimmjow said exactly what first came to his mind.

"Fuck that, man," he scoffed, and he turned and ran into the familiar labrinth of alleys that was behind the Granz. Apparently these words became some sort of inspiration for the other fifty hooligans who were present, and they broke out in a frenzy that could only accurately be described as a mosh pit. Thus, counts three through five.

Aiding and abetting occured without his own consent. About six of the idiots who called themselves his followers showed up on the stoop of his apartment, seeking refuge from the police that were looking for people from the altercation the night before. He told them no but somehow they all ended up on his floor. Then when the police raided his place after getting a tip on Grimmjow's address from one of the assholes unfortunate enough to get caught in the alley, they decided that he must be harbouring the six idiots spread out in his living space. One of said idiots had a small revolver on his person which had been removed earlier in the night and deposited on Grimmjow's kitchen table. One of the friendly officers screaming at him was kind enough to explain to him that this meant it was his gun, tacking on possession of an unregistered firearm.

Lastly was engaging in organized criminal activity. This was really the root of his problems. As previously mentioned, for whatever reason people had a tendancy to cluster around Grimmjow which caused him nothing but grief. Grimmjow didn't particulary like people and he wished desperately for people to feel the same way about him but for whatever reason it seemingly could not be so. Even more unfortunately, one of Grimmjow's deepest passions was also something that called attention to himself: fighting. Particularly street fighting. Since he was a mangy teenager he had loved brawling for no other reason and the high that came with pain and adrenaline. When he came to Karakura he discovered that his favorite pastime gained a bit of following, and he quickly became a regular in the groups of hoodlums who gathered in dimly lit, dirty alleys to watch a couple of guys beat the hell out of each other.

It was awesome.

But Grimmjow was good at fighting, and because of that people paid attention to him. After two months, he had a handful of guys who showed up to watch his fights. After six, he had been given an name by his fans, _Pantera_, the explanation being that he was so quiet and smooth and undeniably lethal in his fights that he resembled a large jungle cat. After a year, he had a group of guys that were devoted to him, and somehow the notion occured to someone that he was their leader. One of the idiots who watched him for awhile mused that becasue they were a group, they should have a name.

"C'mon, Pantera, we guys are a group aren't we? What should we go by? 'S gotta be something cool," the toothless fool slurred. Grimmjow was at that point mildly drunk and in a surprisingly charming mood, so he decided to pull something out of his ass to humor the idiot beside him.

"Fine, what about...the Espada, or something like that." This single foolish exchange became a nightmare in the months to come. Now two years later, the Espada had somehow become a gang that caused the police quite a bit of trouble. Drug trafficking, prostitution, racketeering, assault, and a myriad of other offenses started to be associated with the Espada, and each idiot that was caught who claimed affiliation said that Grimmjow was there fearless leader. Grimmjow had also learned that all members were given numbers, ranking them. Grimmjow was six, or _sexta_ keeping with the romantic spanish theme, which was also the highest rank of any member. Apparently someone had seen one of his tattoos during the course of his fights, a large gothic six on his back, and decided to give it some meaning.

None of that made any damn sense to Grimmjow. All he wanted to do was fight. He just wanted to sweat and feel his libs crash into someone elses body and feel the rush of adrenaline that was better than drugs and sex combined. But he had always been unlucky, and this was just another entry in the journal of his life proving that he was born to take on misfortune.

By this time he was sweating heavily, his muscles screeching in protest as he sobered from his train of thought. He continued the grueling pace regardless, looking out the bars at passing figures each time he returned to a sitting position. And that was when he saw him. He rose up again and gripped the bars in front of him instead of returing to the floor. He saw a boy standing at the reception desk about ten metres in front of him. As was the town itself, Karakura's jail was very small, and thus Grimmjow had a view of the entryway of the building through a short hallway connecting the two areas. Standing at the reception desk, talking to the woman seated there, was a boy probably a few years younger than himself. He was tall and not bulky like Grimmjow was, not because he was weak but instead because he was clearly made be that way. His jaw was clamped tightly and his eyebrows pulled together, making him look more than a little irritable in the most attractive way. His skin was slightly tanned and he had bright hair, a flaming orange that appeared to be natural. But what Grimmjow noticed most was his large eyes the color of cinnamon mixed with rust and flecks of pure yellow gold that he saw when the boy turned his head in the direction of his cell.

He was quickly distracted from Grimmjow's direction when the receptionist mentioned something to him and then the boy truned again towards the row of cells and walked down the narrow hall before he noticed the now standing Grimmjow, peering at him from between the iron grate. The bright haired youth stopped and his brow unfurrowed, lips parting just slightly to reveal that they were a little fuller and pinker than Grimmjow first expected. Slowly the teenager started walking again towards the cell, his pace grueling to Grimmjow for some reason, who realized that he couldn't help but want to see this boy at a much shorter distance. Finally he stopped a few inches from the bars, appearing capitaved by the blue eyes that were locked on his.

"I typically tell kids to avoid convicts, but you don't seem like the kind to take advice," Grimmjow said quietly, surprised at the fact that he said anything at all. A pink blush fanned over the boys cheeks, dulled under his tanned skin.

"Uh yeah, uhm – I – well...," the kid stuttered, obviously uncomfortable as he became aware of his staring. Grimmjow found himself smirking at the boy's reaction.

_He's kind of cute, _Grimmjow thought deviously, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"Believe it or not that was a compliment," Grimmjow said, letting a few sharp, white teeth be seen from between his lips. The younger man was clearly at loss, looking like he had a couple of circuits fried by their simple exchange.

Suddenly he blurted, "I'm Kurosaki," making Grimmjow's small smirk extend into a slightly more menacing grin. "Uh, thats my name, I mean," he continued, blush even fiercer. Grimmjow found himself leaning forward on the bars, his mouth now spread into an all out feral smile which most people would probably cringe at. His voice dropped to a whisper, deep and heavy.

"Well, its been a pleasure, _Kurosaki,_" he said, watching the boys blush creep up all the way up to his ears and his lip part again. They stared at each other for a few more seconds, before the boy, Kurosaki, took another slow step towards the cell, so close that Grimmjow thought he could smell the heat of his skin and the slightly sweet savor of his breath. He was mystified as to why he was so fascinated by the oranged haired boy in front of him but for whatever reason he was incredibly interested. And Grimmjow typically wasn't interested in much of anything.

"Ichigo!"

A voice suddenly rang out from Grimmjow's right side and he saw a red head jogging from the juvinial detainment center down the hall. Kurosaki's head whipped in that direction and Grimmjow saw him step away from his cage, frowning in displeasure at the increased distance.

"Renji," he said, "I've been waiting for your dumb ass. Come on, we need to go." And with that the incrediby interesting orangette turned with his now collected compnion and headed for the door, Grimmjow watching his back like a hungry animal as he went. He looked away as the boy finally reached the door, thinking the exchange was over, but when he glanced up again he saw those lovely red-brown eyes peering over a slim shoulder, looking back at him. Grimmjow felt his lips curve into another Cheshire grin tilting his chin up in a nod to the boy, who gave a small smile in return before being pulled out the entrance by his friend. Before a few minutes ago, Grimmjow had not once thought about how long he would be confined, but now he felt himself wondering if he would be out in the world again sometime soon. Now he had something on the outside that might be worth his time, something he might like to play with.

_Kurosaki Ichigo._


	2. Chapter 2

Ichigo turned his head to look over his shoulder, desperate for a final look at the tall, attractive convict he had met by chance, just in time to meet his bright cyan eyes one last time. They burned even while half-lidded, showing such incredible intensity even though his voice was so soft, a sensual baritone that reverberated through Ichigo's chest. The man lifted his head in a slow nod, a grin flashing sharp canines stretching across his strong jaw. Ichigo felt his heart flutter and his face flush yet again, unable to prevent a small smile from reaching his own lips just as Renji yanked on his arm, pulling him out the glass door to the street.

_ Jesus what am I, a girl? What's with this blushing shit, _he thought to himself as the cool air of Karakura nighttime hit his overly warm cheeks.

"Hey, whats with you, man? You're majorly out of it," Renji asked as the two set out away from the police station.

"Its nothing," Ichigo replied, keeping the intimate exchange between he and the blue haired stranger to himself. "So how was your turn at county, Shawshank?" Renji punched Ichigo in the shoulder, giving him a look.

"You're a piece of shit for leaving me, dude. You always manage to get away," Renji huffed, pouting as he shoved his hands deep in his jean pockets.

"You know if my dad found out I was watching and participating in street fights he'd tear my ass up in ways you wouldn't imagine," Ichigo laughed. About six months ago, Renji had dragged him halfway across Karakura Town to a miserable, dirty alley, saying that they were going to watch a fight. At first Ichigo was skeptical, and when they arrived at their destination he actually tried to leave. But Renji convinced him to stick around for at least the first match up, so Ichigo stood and watched as two lanky guys beat the hell out of each other until only one of them could stand.

It was the most exhilarating thing that he had experienced in his life.

Ichigo had done martial arts since he was a child, at his father's insistence, and he was a pretty good fighter but had never competed. Of course there was friendly sparring between members of his dojo, but what he felt on that night was so much different. There was no rules, no referees, no regulations or restrictions, just two men who squared up and fought like animals. It was so thrilling that from that moment forward, Ichigo couldn't get enough. He and Renji started going to more of the underground events, and now they went to at least two or three matches each week. Both he and Renji had also fought in a couple amateur fights, Ichigo fairing very well and Renji getting quite the beat-down.

"I can't help it that I know the alleys better than you do. If you had paid attention to me when the cops showed up instead of having your tongue down that guy's throat, you probably could have avoided this mess," Ichigo teased. Renji was openly bisexual and had been since they had known each other. Ichigo, however, kept the fact that he had never in his life found a woman attractive to himself, although Renji had guessed that at the least he wasn't pin straight.

"He was worth it," Renji grinned, reliving his sexual escapades from earlier. "Plus, since I don't have a guardian and am on my own they just release me after a couple hours even though I'm still a juvenile because technically wasn't doing anything besides loitering."

"Yeah, and I can't say the same; they would call goat-face and make him come pick me up and then I would be murdered, which is why I left your horny ass," Ichigo reminded him. Renji nodded knowingly; he had known Ichigo's dad Isshin just about as long as he had known Ichigo, and though he was a certified idiot he really would whip Ichi's ass if he found out he was going to fights.

The two both laughed at the thought of an angry Isshin and they continued down the street, ducking into a diner for something to eat. After they ordered, Ichigo noticed Renji looking at him mischievously.

"Whats up with your face," Ichigo asked warily.

"I was just thinking about when you came to get me, " Renji smirked. "You looked like you were talking to that big guy across from the door. Were you?" Ichigo felt himself start to blush again, but tried to stay composed. He really didn't want to have this conversation right now.

"I wasn't talking to him," Ichigo lied, turning his head to look out the window as casually as possible. "I just thought he looked kind of familiar. I must have been wrong though." To Ichigo's surprise, Renji sobered, his eyebrows furrowing a little.  
"Actually I kind of know what you mean," he nodded, "I didn't look at him long but it did seem like I'd seen him somewhere before." Taking a drink of his Coke, Renji leaned back and shrugged. "Probably just passed him on the street sometime when we were together."

Ichigo breathed a quiet sigh, relieved his lie had been bought with no argument.

"Yeah or maybe we saw him at a fight," he mused.

"Oh yeah, shit, I forgot to tell you," Renji said leaning over the table. "The fight we were supposed to go to on Thursday was canceled."

"You gotta be kidding me," Ichigo groaned. He had heard that the match on Thursday was supposed be quite the show. One of the guys participating was supposed to be something of an urban legend in the fight crowd. No one knew what his real name was, just that he had never lost a fight, he was amazing to watch, and the nickname that had been given to him by his followers.

People called him Pantera.

"Yeah," Renji said, scowling, "I really wanted to see this guy in action too. I heard from a couple of guys from earlier that he might have been picked up by the cops."

Ichigo groaned again and they were served their food, which they shoveled down ravenously before going home. The rest of the night, he couldn't help but feel terribly disappointed.

* * *

"Due to misconduct on behalf of arresting officers that has come to light prior to these proceedings, the charges of assault, assault with a deadly weapon, inciting public panic, possession of an illegal and unregistered firearm, aiding and abetting, and participation in organized criminal activity will hereby be dropped for evidence tampering. The charges of disturbing the peace and destruction of public property will be reduced to loitering and reckless endangerment of property, respectively, both class B misdemeanors. Based on these charges, the defendant is sentenced to time served, thirty hours of community service, and a fine in the amount of $600 for each count. We're adjourned."

Grimmjow sat dumbfounded in the wooden chair in front of the defense table. He had never expected to be let off so lightly. According to the judge who he had been brought before, one of the officers that had arrested him had been overheard saying that the revolver Grimmjow had been charged with owning was not on his table but was still in the waistband of one of the idiots in his apartment. That same officer also said that the same idiot had given a statement saying Grimmjow had asked them to leave and they did not, and that the fight they saw was mutual. However, there was no trace of that statement anywhere; it had been conveniently misplaced. This along with a suspicion of a break in chain of custody had been reported to the police captain by a younger officer, and as a result Grimmjow was essentially off the hook.

_Guess the legal system really does work sometimes,_ Grimmjow mused as a guard collected him from the defense table and led him through white washed hallways to the area where he would be discharged. He was given back his personal items, consisting of his pocket knife and his keys, and was sent on his way with papers saying he'd have to appear before his PO in forty-eight hours time. With that, he found himself back on the street.

He returned to his apartment, finding it torn apart from the police search. He found his cell phone among the chaos and flipped it open, seeing that he had two calls and several messages. One of the two calls was from the only person Grimmjow would really consider a friend, Nnoitra Gilga. They met each other in a group home when they were kids and after beating the snot out of each other a couple of times, they realized that they had some things in common. Grimmjow was quieter and more reserved than Nnoitra, but they both had a similar sense of humor and a love of fighting. It was really the only relationship Grimmjow had ever invested time in. He dialed his number and listened to the ring before his friend answered.

"Grimm? That really you? You made it out alive? We're you some guys bitch? Did you get a bitch? Was he ho-"

"Nnoitra," Grimmjow sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose between two fingers. "Would you please shut the fuck up for a second? I just got out of jail, I ain't looking for more interrogation." There was sharp laughter on the other side of the line before his friend responded.

"You sound tired Grimmjow. You alright?"

"Yeah," Grimmjow sighed again, "I'm fine. What are you my girlfriend?" Grimmjow couldn't help but smirk as laughter erupted on the other end of the line again.

"Nah I'm one-hundred percent top, baby, you know that. We wouldn't get along."

"Got that shit right," Grimmjow responded, still grinning.

"Well big blue, I actually have some good news for ya," Nnoitra said with a hint of childish glee. Grimmjow had a bad feeling.

"Don't sound so excited, it makes me nauseous. Spill." Nnoitra huffed before responding.

"C'mon Grimm it really is good news. I got your fight that was supposed to be last night rescheduled. The guy said he'd be there tonight and that he's ready to whoop your ass. I laughed at him so hes gonna be in a shitty mood, just like you like."

Grimmjow felt his lips crack into another maniacal smile and his heartbeat speed up just a fraction.

"Now that is some good fucking news."

The two ended the call and Grimmjow proceeded to flop down on his couch, able to think of only two things. One, his excitement for the upcoming fight, and two, how he was going to track down a certain orange head.

* * *

Ichigo ran behind his frantic friend, trying to keep up with his longer legs as Renji half-dragged him down Karakura's main drag.

"Renji what the hell? Where are we going and why are we running?"

"The fight! The big fight with that Pantera guy! Ikkaku just called me and told me it was rescheduled. Its going to be in the alley on the south side of this bar called Kon's," Renji yelled, not bothering to turn around or even slow his pace. "Its supposed to start at 10:00PM, so hurry the fuck up! I want a good view."

The two ran full speed until they reached their turn, moving into an alley and then a side street where they saw a building with a large, yellow sign signaling _Kon's Bar_.

"We made it! With ten minutes to spare," Renji puffed, trying to catch his breath. "Now which way is south?"

"Come on you dumb fucker, this way," Ichigo laughed, rolling his eyes. The two boys went into the alley south of the bar, finding that there was already quite a few people present. Renji and Ichigo worked their way to the front, ignoring the looks of contempt sent there way as they weaved through the crowd. A couple of minutes passed and then suddenly the people around them erupted. The challenger, apparently called Redder, came forward from out of the alley and stood with his back to Renji and Ichigo. He was a pretty big guy, and he looked like one arrogant SOB. He sneered at the crowd and cracked his neck, waiting for his opponent.

And that's when the man of the hour, known only as Pantera, stepped forward out of the shadows.

Ichigo stopped breathing.

It was none other than the blue haired man whom he had met in the jail when he picked up Renji. Ichigo felt his stomach tighten and his palms start to sweat. He thought he heard Renji yelling at his side, saying that this guy was Pantera, and that's why looked familiar, but Ichigo was so transfixed it didn't register. He watched as the man strolled forward sizing up his opponent. The way he walked really was akin to a cat, a lithe and predatory hunter stalking quietly and methodically toward his prey. He was surprised that a man as large and he was could appear so graceful.

After closing some distance, the blue haired man known as Pantera bounced on the balls of his feet, shaking his shoulders loose and lazily eyeing his onlookers. When his eyes reached Ichigo, they stopped. They got wider at first and then narrowed, his face cracking into a fiendish smile flashing those sharp white teeth again. Ichigo realized he still wasn't breathing. The man lifted his chin in Ichigo's direction, not unlike the last time they saw each other, before turning to face his opponent and lowering into a crouch, that wide grin still plastered on his face.

* * *

_This guy looks like an asshole,_ Grimmjow thought to himself as he stepped forward giving a slight nod to Nnoitra, who was standing in the shadows behind him. He unconsciously checked the wraps on his hands and he looked at his opponent and then started warming up. Just as he was glancing over the crowd he saw a flash of bright orange hair before being confronted but those red-brown doe eyes that had been on his mind for days.

_ You have got to be kidding me,_ he thought, feeling himself let out an uncharacteristic smile in the boys direction. He gave him a nod before turning to his waiting opponent, who would soon be his willing victim. He smiled wider as adrenaline started to course through his veins, his vision so clear from the high he thought he could see molecules. He was inexorably excited.

_This ones for you, Kurosaki Ichigo._


	3. Chapter 3

Ichigo felt his heart stop as he saw Redder take two steps forward and pound his fist in to the face of the man known only as Pantera. The crowd went silent when Redder stood up, sneering at the man beneath him. Ichigo watched as deep read blood ran from his mouth, the color in stark contrast to his bright blue head and alabaster skin. Then he saw his shoulders start to shake as he coughed out a foamy clot of spit and blood.

_Is he hurt? Whats going on? _

Ichigo couldn't help but be afraid, and was about to move forward towards the stranger that he was oddly attached to, when he saw the reason his shoulders were shaking.

He was laughing.

It started at a chuckle, and before Ichigo knew it, he had his head tilted back roaring with deep baritone laughter. The crowd stood still and confused, not sure how to take the man's reaction to being hit. As he started to sober the blue haired man lowered his head and opened his eyes so wide he looked crazed. A huge, feral smile spread across his face, displaying a row of sharp teeth, now pink from his own blood. It was unnerving to say the least.

Still laughing, Pantera said something to Redder, inaudible to their onlookers and frightening enough to cause the challenger to grow a little pale. Then he stiffened and threw himself forward, attacking with wild precision. He threw well aimed kicks with such force that they caused the larger man to lose his balance and fall backward. The blue haired man let out another sound akin to a hyena as the larger man struggled to stand.

"What the hell is wrong with you," Redder yelled, growing paler by the second as he got to his feet. The only response he received was another chuckle. Ichigo watched in awe as his stranger, with the grace of a dancer, leaped up in the air, swinging his right leg with crushing force into the side of Redder's head. For a moment, Ichigo could swear that time was standing still. He understood why they called him Pantera.

And with that, the fight was over. Redder crashed to the ground unconscious as the crowd erupted at the display. As quickly as he had appeared, the legendary Pantera was gone again. Ichigo caught a glimpse of beautiful cyan hair as it faded to navy in the darkness of the alley. He tried to push through the crowd, wanting to call out to him before he was gone again, but the people surrounding him were like an immovable wall. He felt his stomach fall as he realized he could no longer see the fighter. Before he had time to feel disappointed, he felt a strong hand dragging him from out of the mass of people.

"Renji your killing my arm with your grip, let go," Ichigo grumbled.

"The fuck's a Renji?"

Ichigo looked up to the person attached to the hand on his bicep and to his surprise, it was certainly not Renji. In fact, he had never seen this man before. He was very tall and extremely thin, with shiny black hair he had tied back. He grinned at Ichigo with the largest mouth he had ever seen on a human, and was sporting an eye patch over his right eye. His narrow eyes looked mischievous.

"Who the hell are you? Let go of my arm," Ichigo said, twisting and trying to get out of the other man's grip. It only caused the death grip to grow even tighter. Whoever this weird guy was, he was pretty strong for being so flimsy looking.

"Sorry kid," he said, not sounding apologetic at all, still moving away from the scene of the fight and now down a side street away from the commotion. "A certain feline has requested yer presence." Ichigo was confused but he stopped resisting, resigned to the fact that he wouldn't be able to break the other mans grip anyway. They wound through the mix of alleys, and Ichigo could tell they were moving towards the main road. Just as he expected they soon emerged into a well lit area near the center of town, next to a late night coffee shop. Once they stood in front of it, the tall slender man finally removed his hand from Ichigo's arm.

"Just go in, he'll find you," the tall stranger said, still smiling. "I'm Nnoitra, by the way. Have fun, and don't let big blue get to crazy," he said, strolling away down the street. Ichigo was confused, but decided to go into the cafe anyway.

_Maybe Renji is in here,_ he thought hopefully as he pushed open the door. The nutty, bitter smell of strong coffee hit him as he entered the small, dim shop. He scanned the area, looking for his friend's red hair, but there was so little light it made it hard to see anything. He was about to turn around and walk out of the cafe when a large hand pressed gently on his shoulder, and a somehow familiar heat wound its way close to his ear. As it whispered to him, he couldn't help but not breathe.

"You miss me, Kurosaki?"

Ichigo whipped around, coming face to face with eyes the color of the Caribbean ocean and burning like the sunset. He felt time slow down as they took each other in. The large hand on his shoulder slid lazily down his arm, making Ichigo shudder. The blue haired stranger smiled a little, looking much less crazy and a lot more sensual.

"You want to sit?"

Ichigo snapped out of his daze, glad the cafe was dark enough inside to hide his rose-colored cheeks.

"S-sure, " he stammered, still embarrassed. The taller man turned and walked smoothly to a secluded table that already had a cup of a floral smelling tea on it, still steaming. Ichigo stopped a waitress and asked for a cup of orange pekoe for himself. They were silent until she returned and deposited it on the table, then left them alone. Ichigo was more than a little awkward and nervous, so much that he couldn't even look up.

"So what did you think?"

Ichigo felt another chill as the soft, deep voice of his company ran down his spine, like the hammers of a piano rumbling notes along its taut strings. He blinked a few times, too transfixed to respond.

"Kid? About the fight. What did you think," the older man tried again. Ichigo finally gathered himself enough to answer.

"It was amazing," he said quietly, sneaking a peak through his lashes. "I can see why they started calling you Pantera. Most guys who are as big as you move like freight trains and depend on their size alone, meaning when they meet a larger opponent they lose. But you," Ichigo continued, unable to contain a smile, "you definitely lived up to your reputation. You were like an animal, alright." The half-lidded eyes across from him simmered with amusement. Ichigo felt heat rise to his face yet again; he had said more than he meant to.

_Boy I'm such an idiot, _he groaned internally. Thinking back to the fight, Ichigo couldn't help but ask the older man a question.

"By the way, what is it you said?"

His blue eyebrows furrowed. "Huh?"

"To Redder," Ichigo extrapolated. "After he hit you, you said something that made him look almost afraid. What did you say?" After a short, good-natured laugh, he looked up with mischievous cerulean eyes.

"I told him that he got his one shot to put me down, and because he hits like a girl, he was fucked."

Ichigo couldn't help but laugh a little, looking down again.

"I wish I could have seen his face better when you said that...," Ichigo trailed off, dipping into awkward silence again. After a few minutes that seemed like hours, the silence was broken again.

"Grimmjow."

Ichigo looked up, confused. "I'm sorry, what?" He caught a glimpse of sharp canines peaking from under the other man's upper lip as he chuckled.

"My name, its Grimmjow. Grimmjow Jaegerjaques. Can't have you running around calling me Pantera. Kinda makes me look like an asshole." Ichigo bit his lip, looking away.

_ Even his name is sexy,_ he thought in fake aggravation. He still found himself unable to speak, but he had somehow mustered up the courage to look at the man across the table. He was still smiling, seemingly unfazed by the silence. It made Ichigo relax a little bit.

"So," Grimmjow said, again trying to initiate conversation, "you just come to watch or do you fight, too? I'd never see you before tonight."

"I've done two amateur fights with a friend, but I'm light years away from your level. I probably wouldn't be on par with most of the guys on the scene," Ichigo said, shrugging. "I'm still in school too so people would notice if I got too bruised up."

"Yeah, I figured you were younger than me. You in high school then?"

"Yeah," Ichigo said sheepishly. "I'll be eighteen this summer. I'm a senior."

"Don't act like its a bad thing. It's not. Well, it's bad for me I guess," Grimmjow mused.

Ichigo frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Well," Grimmjow replied, trying and failing to look innocent, "kids typically don't like hanging out with old dudes like me. And I just got out of jail, if you remember. Going back for sexually assaulting a minor doesn't sound too good."

Ichigo felt his throat grow dry as he looked into those fiery blue eyes that smiled back at him. He had never had someone be so forward with him, and didn't really know how to respond. It didn't help that he wasn't even close to comfortable with his sexuality, even though as the night progressed it became harder and harder to deny it. But before he could respond, Grimmjow turned his head away, looking out a window. He seemed much more serious, and almost sad.

"Grimmjow?"

He turned back, seemingly feigning ignorance.

"What is it?"

Ichigo lost his nerve and went back to looking at his hands. He didn't know what else to do except bail. It made him furious with himself, but he was so unnerved he didn't know what else to do.

"Uh, its just I should probably get back. I mean I went to the fight with a friend of mine, and when that Nnoitra guy drug me over here I didn't tell him where I was going. Plus my dad will have my ass if I'm too late." Grimmjow smirked in response, making Ichigo's heart flutter again, before sighing.

"Yeah, you're right. I shouldn't have had Nnoi drag you over here. But, if I could ask something of you," he said standing and holding out a hand to Ichigo, who took it. The connection felt like fire in his veins, and it was exhilarating although short lived.

"Sure," Ichigo said, steeling himself enough to look into Grimmjow's eyes.

"You said you weren't a good fighter, but I don't believe you. So I'd like to see you again, and I'd like to fight. Would that be okay?"

"Yeah," Ichigo replied at just a whisper. "I'd...like that."

Grimmjow grinned again and took Ichigo's phone from his hand, typing in his name and phone number. As they reached the front of the store, he handed it back to him. Ichigo reached out to take it, and just as his hand met the larger one it clamped down and pulled him forward. Without enough time to process what was happening, Ichigo felt something soft touch his lips. He tasted a floral tea mixed with something spicy-sweet.

_Kissing me, _Ichigo thought, stunned. _He is kissing me..._

Ichigo's brain may not have been working, but his body went into autopilot. He to a small step forward, closing most of the space between them, before reaching up a hand and resting it on Grimmjow's neck. It was unadulterated bliss, but almost as soon and it had began, it was over. Grimmjow pulled away, and Ichigo could swear he saw the pensive and slightly sad look from earlier marring his face before he grinned.

"I thought you didn't want to go back to jail," Ichigo said breathlessly.

"That was worth it," he said, voice barely a whisper and lips so close Ichigo felt the words bounce of his collarbones. He blushed again. He watched as Grimmjow turned around and raised a hand in a wave.

"Plus," he said over his shoulder, "in other countries that's just a greeting. Pig's pick me up and I'll tell them I'm foreign."

Ichigo could see the cheeky smirk he must be wearing in his mind.

"Are you foreign," Ichigo called out to him, a smile creeping onto his on face.

"Hell if I know, kid."

With that Ichigo went home, trudged up the stairs to his bed and laid down, hoping he would dream of blue. Ichigo swore he could still taste the burn of Grimmjow's lips as he lay awake, wondering if it was too late to make a call.


	4. Chapter 4

Grimmjow sat on his couch, still strewn with his personal items, pressing a cloth full of ice to the bruise on his jaw.

_Kissed him, _ he thought to himself, considering his earlier uncharacteristic display of affection. _I actually fucking kissed him. That was weird. Why did I do that?_ He was drawn out of his musing by the twittering of his cell phone. Not bothering to look at the screen, he flipped it open.

"Hello?"

"'Jow! The fuck's wrong with you? You get picked up by the pigs and you don't bother to call your older fuckin', law degree havin', already bar exam passin' sister? You outta yer damn mind?"

Grimmjow sighed, feeling himself mildly disappointed that it was his sister on the line.

_ What? Who the hell did I want it to be this late? _He ignored the obvious answer to that question, sighing.

"Nelliel," he drawled, "you always go back to yer Osaka accent when yer pissed. Can't take ya seriously."

He heard her huff on the other end of the line, but knew she was smiling. He could always make his sister smile. Grimmjow loved Nelliel more than he cared to admit. Even though she was a couple years older, he treated her like he would a baby sister most of the time, not in small part because she acted like she was four with him. It was only times like this, when she was mad at him, that she played her role as the concerned older sibling, albeit not very gracefully.

"Damn it all Grimmjow, I ain't kiddin'," she whined, reverting back to a small girl. Grimmjow chuckled to himself at the quick transformation. "Why didn't you call me? I could have helped ya. You don't always have to do shit alone." At this Grimmjow felt himself bristle.

"Yer treadin', Nel. You always gotta go there, " he said in a low, dark tone. "Why do ya always gotta go there?"

"Because you are my baby brother, Grimmjow, and I love you. And I don't like it when you keep shit like that from me just because you wanna play the lone wolf. You can only take "being cool" so far before it winds you up in trouble," she said, starting to sound like the intelligent, formal woman he knew she was when she wasn't talking to him.

"Whatever," he said, trying to pout in as manly a way as possible.

"And?"

"And what," he huffed, knowing full well what she wanted.

"Grimmjow Alesandro Jaegerjaques I swear to god if -,"

"Alright! I get it," he said, relenting, "I'm sorry I didn't fucking call ya okay? Now turn off yer freaking mom mode, I can't handle it. I just had a fight and I'm not -"

"You did what?!"

_Well now I really went and fucking did it, _he thought, rubbing his forehead,

"C'mon Nel, you know I do harmless fights here and there."

"Yeah Grimm," she shrieked, "harmless _illegal_ fights! Are ya kidding me? You just got yer ass outta jail!"

"It's all I got Nel," he said lowly, sounding sadder than he meant to. "It's the only thing I do right anyways. Can you just lay off it for tonight?" There was silence for a few minutes, and Grimmjow could tell he had been a little to harsh with her. He didn't want to make her feel guilty; it was his fault for bringing it up to her in the first place. He heard her sigh quietly, a sign that she was sorry even if she wasn't going to say it.

"Grimm if you want to fight so bad, why do keep turnin' Uncle Aizen down? He said you were really good, that he'd help you go pro even. He ain't even blood but he was so good to us, you know?" Grimmjow clenched his jaw, trying his best not to lash out when he knew his sister was just trying to help him.

_I can't fuckin' do this right now,_ he thought, his mind splitting with rage at the thought of the bastard who dared call himself an "uncle" to he and Nelliel. Just before he thought he was going to break and go off, he heard a beeping in his ear, and an unknown number appeared on the screen. Happy to have an excuse to leave the conversation, he responded to his sister sharply.

"Got another call. Talk to you some other time."

"What? Grimm, wai -" Before he could hear her protest, he clicked a button to accept the other call.

"The fuck is this," he growled into the speaker.

"Uhm, is this Grimmjow? I'm sorry it must be a bad time, I shouldn't have called -," he heard a quiet voice prattle out, sounding nervous. The voice was soft but undeniably male, and he recognized it instantly.

"Shit no, yer fine," he said quickly, cursing at himself for sounding like such an asshole. _First time the kid calls me and I freak out on him. Smooth as hell there, Señor Suavé._

"Are you sure? It's pretty late," that soft, soothing voice continued. Grimmjow automatically felt a little better.

"Yeah, kid, I'm glad to hear from ya," he said, moving some shit off his couch before laying down. "I actually wasn't sure if I'd get to talk to you again."

"How come?"

"Well, we kind of did meet when I was locked in a jail cell," Grimmjow chuckled.

"I know," Ichigo said tentatively, "but that doesn't mean I wouldn't want to see you again. If that was true, I wouldn't have stayed to talk tonight." Grimmjow was surprised to hear him say that so openly; he seemed like he was a little less shy over the phone. He felt himself grin.

"I guess that's true. But I also thought it might have turned you off when I kissed you. I mean I never even asked if you were gay."

"Well, I'm not sure about what I am, but I know I wasn't mad when you kissed me." Grimmjow sighed in relief.

"That's good then. Guess I just couldn't help myself. You look cute when you're embarrassed."

"Well I wouldn't have been embarrassed if it wasn't you. I've never been embarrassed when other people kissed me."

"Sounds like it would be okay if I did it again," Grimmjow said, sounding cocky but actually feeling hopeful.

"You could say that," the response wreathed in sweet laughter. Grimmjow couldn't help but smile himself.

"So did you call to talk, or just to wish me goodnight?" There was a quiet intake of breath on the other end of the line, and no immediate response. Grimmjow could imagine the smaller boy's heated cheeks.  
"I don't know," came the quiet response, "which would you prefer?" Grimmjow was surprised at the boy's brazenness, and felt his smile grow even wider.

"If we're bein' honest I'd prefer to be spending some more time with ya in person, but talking is good too."

"Well then, what would you like to talk about?"

"'S up to you, Ichigo." There wasn't any response for a few moments. "Ichigo?"

"Sorry," he responded, Grimmjow noticing the breathy tone his voice had taken. "I just...like how you say my name, I guess." Grimmjow smirked to himself, again surprised at how honest the younger man was now.

"You can't say stuff like that to me, kid," he said, his own voice dropping a little lower.

"How come," came the not-so-innocent reply.

"Because you aren't here to take responsibility for it, not to mention I'm just some old guy that you shouldn't go getting' yourself mixed up in."

"You don't seem that much older than me. What if I want to get mixed up with you?" Grimmjow had stopped smiling at this point, his eyes half-lidded as he felt a certain heat coiling under his navel.

"I'm twenty-four, and as you already kinda know I'm not some upstanding citizen. You sure about that?"

"Yeah," Grimmjow heard, surprised at the strength of the response. "I am a lot more sure about you than I have been about people in the past. Is that wrong?"

"Hell if I know, kid. But I'm no masochist, so I ain't gonna refuse ya. That would just plain hurt."

"I'm glad. Otherwise I would feel pretty awkward right now."

"Why's that," Grimmjow purred, trying to ignore the growing sensation of swelling from below the cover of his jeans.  
"Well because when you said my name, I...uh, it...you know," he heard the shy boy almost whisper back to him. Grimmjow practically growled at the thought of the smaller boy being aroused.

"Told ya you can't say shit like that to me kid, you ain't the only one getting bothered." Grimmjow was gifted with a small, sweet laugh from the younger man.

"Okay, I guess I'll save the talk for after our fight then. When can I see you?"

"How about in a week, next Friday?" Grimmjow made plans to meet him at a local gym, which just happened to be owned by Nnoitra, meaning they would have privacy. He couldn't help but be incredibly excited, the thought of throwing around the sweet, orange-haired boy enough to remind him again of tent at the front of his jeans becoming more and more uncomfortable.

"I'll see you Friday then. Goodnight, Grimmjow."

"Night Ichigo." Closing his phone, Grimmjow stood, and headed for the shower, thinking about how nice it would be to have someone to share it with.

* * *

Ichigo closed his phone almost unwillingly, biting his bottom lip hard enough for it to sting.

_ Shit, I'm hard, _he groaned internally, his mind trailing off into to a state of primal need as he slipped his hand under the waistband of his tented boxers. He couldn't help but crave a much larger hand grasping his excited length. He closed his eyes as he began to stroke, flashes of sensual cerulean eyes dancing behind his lids. It was enough to just imagine being watched by Grimmjow to elicit a soft whimper from Ichigo, stifled behind his still bitten lip. He moaned softly as he let his thumb slide over his sensitive tip, back arching off the bed and burying his head amongst pillows. He didn't last long, and after a few more minutes moaned one last time, thrusting his hips up as he came. He wiped his hand off on a tissue from his dresser, breathing heavily. His head was still clouded with thoughts of Grimmjow when his phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Ichigo what the fuck? Where were you? One second you were next to me watching the fight and then I look down and you've fucking scampered off," Renji yelled angrily. Ichigo had been so consumed by thoughts of the recently met blue-haired man that he had totally forgotten the fact that he had abandoned his friend, albeit against his will.

"I'm sorry Renji."

"What do you mean, you're sorry," Renji said, sounding confused. "Why aren't you bitching at me or telling me its my fault for being an idiot? This isn't like you." Ichigo felt himself grow nervous. He decided that if was going to talk to anyone about what had happened, it should be Renji; it was he who had been worried about Ichigo in the first place. Ichigo sighed.

"If I tell you about it, don't get weird on me or be an asshole or anything, okay? And definitely do not tell _anyone;_ not even Rukia or Byakuya."

"Okay man. It's just between you and me then," he said, sounding surprisingly serious.

"Okay," Ichigo sighed, steeling himself into the admission. "Remember when I picked you up the last time the cops took you in at that fight?

"Yeah I remember, what of it?"

"Well, remember how you asked if I had talked to the guy in the cell, who we now know is Pantera?"

"Yes...where are you going with this?"

"I lied," Ichigo admitted quietly. "I did talk to him. And what's more, I blurted out my name to him. I don't know what came over me. Its just something about him," Ichigo said, lapsing into a few moments of silence. "Anyway, he saw me in the crowd tonight at the fight, and after it was over he asked a friend of his to take me to this late night cafe, to meet him. I thought it was you at first, leading me out of the crowd, but it wasn't. I tried to get him to let go but the bastard was strong. Then he told me to go into this coffee shop and I thought you might be in there so I walked in, but it was Pantera. His real name is Grimmjow," Ichigo said feeling himself blush.

"Shut the fuck up," Renji said, clearly aghast. "So you finally admit to having the hots for a guy, and he's some huge blue-haired convict who fights like a wild animal?" Ichigo cringed at the perceived judgment, but before he could respond he heard his friend laugh.

"You got good taste, dude. He's fine as fuck. Wouldn't have guessed he played for the home-team though, I bet he's an accidental lady killer." Ichigo sighed audibly and laughed a little. "So," Renji said, clearly excited, "what happened? Did he do you good in an alley?"

"No you stupid fuck. We just talked, and he asked if just watched or if I fought too, and when I told him I did a couple amateur things he said he wanted to spar sometime."

"Spar in bed, more like," Renji said deviously.

"Renji!"

"I kid, calm down. But you do sound a little too embarrassed to have just talked about sparring. Don't leave out the good stuff."

"Well he did...kiss me, when we left the shop. But I think he was just being nice, it didn't mean any -,"

"You're such a virgin," Renji laughed, "getting all shy over a kiss. But I don't think he'd have done it if it didn't mean anything."

"Really?"

"Really really. So, what else?" Ichigo rolled his eyes. Renji always knew when he was leaving out details to a story.

"Well I called him, he put his number in my phone, and we talked a little and agreed to meet at a gym on Friday to spar."

"You better tell me everything afterwords or I will never talk to you again."

"You such a girl," Ichigo laughed, hiding how happy he was to have someone he could say these things too. He felt relieved that he had finally admitted it, even if it was just to Renji who probably already knew. They talked for a few minutes before ending the call, Ichigo slipping into his bed and falling asleep almost instantly.


	5. Chapter 5

Sitting in class on Friday afternoon, Ichigo was noticeably anxious. Staring out the window to his left, he tapped his foot quickly, mind lost in itself. He had been looking forward to today for the entire week, and now that Friday had come, the time moved like molasses. He was so lost in thought that he didn't notice his friend standing in front of his desk, looking at him expectantly.

"Hello, Earth to Ichigo. Come in, Ichigo."

Finally snapping out of his daze at the sound of his name, he looked up to see Kuchiki Rukia waving a small hand back and forth across his vision.

"What's up short stack," he said with a smirk, earning a glare from the petite, dark haired girl.

"What's up is right, space cadet," she said with a sneer. "What's got your head in the clouds?" Ichigo heard a snort from behind him, and saw Renji staring smugly from his desk, chin propped up on one hand. Before he could respond to her, Rukia moved like lightning to Renji's seat.

"So you know what's got him all dreamy, huh? Spill, like yesterday" she said, snapping her fingers in frustration. Looking incredibly noble, Renji placed one hand over his heart and the other in the air.

"Sorry Ruk, but I can't. I gave him the scouts honor. You'll have to wrench it out of him yourself." Rukia turned back to Ichigo, fuming.

"Since when do you have stuff that you can tell pineapple head over here, but not to me?" She actually sounded a little hurt, making Ichigo feel guilty. He looked at Renji who just raised an eyebrow and shrugged at him.

"You know she ain't got a problem with me," he said. He was right, and it made Ichigo's decision easy. He looked around the classroom and saw that it was pretty empty, most people gone for lunch by now. Ichigo sighed and waved Rukia over. She walked over and hopped onto is desk, looking concerned.

"So what is it, Ichi? It can't be anything that bad, I'm friends with Renji after all. My standards aren't that high."

"Shut up you damn midget," Renji yelled from behind, earning a tongue stuck out in his direction.

"Promise you'll keep it to yourself?"

"Always," Rukia said, smiling softly.

"Okay," Ichigo breathed in, "I...met someone." Rukia's eyes grew as large as dinner plates, her mouth dropping open a bit.

"What? A girl has finally been deemed good enough to warrant your attention?" Ichigo heard another suppressed snort from behind him, and he shot a glare over his shoulder.

"Try again, shorty" Renji smirked, walking over to join the two at Ichigo's desk. "We got another player for the home team here." Ichigo reached out and punched his still smiling friend in his arm, hard enough to elicit a groan. Then he heard strong laughter coming from the girl perched on his desk. He felt his face flush and he looked down.

"C'mon Ruk, I didn't think you'd make fun of me. It's hard enough to hear it out loud."

"No, no," she said, holding her midsection and wiping tears from her eyes. "I'm sorry Ichi, I'm not laughing at you. It's just that Orihime is going to be so disappointed, she's been pining after you forever. No wonder you weren't interested."

"I don't know," Ichigo said, still a little embarrassed.

"Ichigo you should know me well enough by now to know that something as simple as who you date won't change a damn thing between us. I've known about pineapple head from the beginning, and its just the same for you," she said sincerely, looking worried that she had really hurt his feelings.

"I know Rukia, it's just...I had kind of ignored it until now. But with him..." Ichigo looked back out the window. "I guess I can't ignore it anymore."

"Well this guy must be quite something to have caught your attention. C'mon, tell me about him." Ichigo looked at Renji who nodded, knowing his friend well enough to know what the look meant. Rukia looked at Renji, waiting for a translation of their exchange.

"He's nervous that you won't approve," Renji said, sighing. "I get it, because I get the attraction, I guess. He's not afraid you won't like him cause he's a guy, but because he's a certain type of guy."

To Ichigo, it was like someone was playing his internal dialogue aloud. Renji had always been able to do that. Rukia looked back to him, huffing.

"Look, I'll try to reserve judgment okay? Just tell me."

"Fine," Ichigo said quietly. "Well, I first met him when I picked Renji up from jail the last time." He winced as he saw Rukia's eyebrows hit the ceiling.

"Well, keep going. I said I'd reserve judgment."

"Okay, well I saw him a cell and for whatever reason I blurted out my name like an idiot. I figured I'd never see him again, but then when me and Ren went to see this fight on Friday, he was one of the fighters. The guy is practically an urban legend. He saw me in the crowd and recognized me, and long story short we met up and talked and agreed to see each other again to spar. And," Ichigo said at barely a whisper, peeking at Rukia through his eyelashes, "he kissed me."

The girl on his desk sighed and looked hard at her friend below her. She looked at Renji too, who just smiled and shrugged. Finally she rolled her eyes, looking exasperated.

"Well can you at least describe him so I know if hes hot or not," she said, faking agitation.

"Hot just about sums him up," Renji said grinning mischievously.

"Actually," Ichigo said, embarrassed again, "I have a picture."

"Shit," Renji said, eyes practically popping out of his skull. "Does he have his shirt off? Can I see?"

"No, you stupid horny shit," Ichigo said, unable to control his laugh. "When I talked to him another time this week, he told me he had a sister and I asked if he had a picture of her. The one he sent me has them both together." He brought the image up on his phone and handed it to Rukia who proceeded to raise an eyebrow and nod in appreciation.

"Not bad, even though he's a criminal," she said smirking. "The cute ones are always gay. So when are you seeing him again? It must be today, seeing as how you can barely sit still."

"Yeah, I'm meeting him at a gym after school to spar."

"Sparring better be the only thing you two do," she said, taking on a motherly tone. Ichigo just laughed.

"C'mon, lets go get something to eat."

* * *

Grimmjow opened the door to the large gym and lounge, denoted by a neon sign as _Nnoise_, creatively called so by his best friend. Scanning the floor full of state-of-the-art equipment, he spotted his gangly form quickly and moved in that direction, raising a hand to wave.

"Nnoi!"

"Grimm," he said, turning from the burly men he was talking to. His smile extended ear-to-ear, looking sinister as usual. "How can I help your crazy ass today, my friend?"

Laughing, Grimmjow said, "I need a room. I gotta date."

"This ain't no love hotel, blue," Nnoitra responded, raising an eyebrow. "You wanna fuck then leave my gym." Grimmjow punched one of his friend's thin arms eliciting a sneer.

"Remember the orange-haired kid? He agreed to a little friendly sparring," Grimmjow explained with bright eyes. "Where else would I bring him but the esteemed establishment of Nnoitra Gilga?"

Nnoitra fanned his face, playing at a meek Southern Belle, before drawling, "Oh Grimm, baby, you know the way right to a boy's heart," giving him a narrow eyed Cheshire grin. He threw his thumb over his shoulder, pointing at a large door behind him. "Go on back, studio 3. I'll let your little pumpkin know where to find you when I see him."

* * *

Ichigo took a deep breath as he placed his hand on the doorknob in front of him.

_We're just here to do a little sparring,_ he thought to himself, trying to slow his heartbeat. _Stop being so weird._ He opened the heavy door to the gym and was surprised to see that it was so advanced. All the equipment were this year's models, and the decor and music were edgy. To the left was reception, and to the right was a bar that appeared to serve as a meeting area. Before he could turn and head over to reception, he heard someone calling from up head.

"Yoo~hoo! Little pumpkin! I'm here to getcha again!"

Ichigo was surprised to see the tall, lanky man who had dragged him off to his first meeting with Grimmjow.

"Nnoitra, right? What are you doing here?"

"Whaddaya mean, what am I doin' here," he scoffed, finally stopping in front of Ichigo. "Place is mine, so I come and go as I please." A light bulb went off in Ichigo's head as he remembered the name of this particular gym, and he nodded. He received a large grin in response as the taller man bent down so he was face-to-face with Ichigo.

"So? Impressed, right?"

Ichigo smiled politely, nodding again.

"Its really great, definitely very modern. But..."

Nnoitra frowned, a look even more frightening than his smile. "But?"

"It's just, I don't see places to spar, that's all."

"Don't worry your pretty orange head, this place has all kinds of secrets," he said, eyes and smirk growing impossibly wide again before he turned on a heel and started off towards the opposite end of the gym. "This way kiddo, big blue is in the back waitin' for ya."

Ichigo followed Nnoitra through the main room and a door in the back, leading to a hallway with four separate doors.

"Studio 3, kiddo." Nnoitra said before leaving through the same door they had come in from. Ichigo went to third door and opened it slowly, holding his breath. He saw Grimmjow instantly, bouncing on his feet just like he had before his fight with Redder in the alley. When he noticed Ichigo he stopped and cracked a wide smile.

"Hey, kid. Glad you could make it."

All it took was his voice to make Ichigo blush again, although he felt a little more at ease with the larger man after having talked with him several times during the past week.

"Yeah, I'm glad too. I just hope you don't beat me up to bad." Ichigo set down his bag and puled off the sweatshirt he had on so he wore a tee shirt and basketball shorts. He pulled his arms across his chest, attempting to prepare himself both mentally and physically. He noticed Grimmjow watching him steadily as he wrapped his hands and stretched, the blue gaze like fire on Ichigo's back. When he was as ready as he thought he could be, he moved to the center of the room and faced his attractive opponent, who grinned.

"You ready?"

"No," Ichigo said, "but I'll do my best."

The two men both took on a more serious look as they faced each other, both taking fighting stances. The circled for a few moments, both recognizing the other did not want to make the first move.

"I'm not like Redder, you know," Ichigo said quietly, still focused. "I'm not just going to walk up and slug you. You're bigger than me, after all." With that Grimmjow's smile increased to the level of madness Ichigo had seen a week prior before he lunged at him, swinging a powerful right hook towards Ichigo's nose. Sliding to the side, Ichigo used the entire bottom part of his foot to slam into Grimmjow's thigh, not trying to hit him as much as move him away.

Grimmjow cackled, looking a little unbalanced and regaining his stance quickly.

_He has good form for someone who does street fights,_ Ichigo thought to himself. As Grimmjow came at him again, Ichigo parried his blows or slid away from them, taking note again on how good his technique was. He thought back to his own days of training with his master.

_He doesn't move like some thug who just has a penchant for beating on people. He's obviously studied under someone._

Ichigo threw a few shots, hitting his mark each time as he had been taught, but it did little to deter his opponent. On the contrary, his laughing grew wilder. Ichigo was more interested in observing than trying to win the match. Grimmjow didn't fight like anyone he had ever met. It was traditional, focusing on correct form and staying grounded to keep one's balance, but at the same time it was much smoother and more fluid than most traditionalist styles.

He didn't have the choppy movements that were caused by always returning to position one. Instead, it was like he avoided moving himself very far outside of his sphere of control at all, his feet only stepping up a hairsbreadth when he advanced and not even leaving the mats when he moved back. And Ichigo noticed he would only throw a kick if he was positive that Ichigo could not move out of his range, only block it, and he would move forward or backward directly after, never stopping to return his foot to where it came from.

_A traditionalist who is constantly moving, _Ichigo thought, now totally uninterested in hitting Grimmjow because he was so captivated by watching him fight. Suddenly, his opponent stood straight and stopped moving. Ichigo looked at him confused.

"Is everything okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine," Grimmjow replied, wiping his brow. "'S just that you aren't tryin' to hit me." Ichigo looked down and the ground, embarrassed that he had noticed.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I've just never seen anyone move like you."

Grimmjow walked closer and smiled, looking down at Ichigo with all traces of his manic high gone. "It's alright. You're pretty quick, you know. You lied when you said you were an amateur."

"I'm still not on your level," Ichigo replied, beaming internally at the complement.

"So, you've seen me fight twice. Whats the verdict now?"

"Still amazing," Ichigo chuckled. "I can't figure you out though. You focus a lot on your balance but you never stop moving and you don't return to your starting point, you always advance or retreat. I went to a competition with my master once, and there was a group of Brazilian fighters there. It kind of reminds me of how they moved."

"Oh really," Grimmjow said, sounding honestly surprised.

"Yeah, they focus on their footwork almost exclusively. They specialize in handling large opponents because they are so grounded. You barely pick up your feet and only risk being unbalanced if you know you can make contact. Its surprising, since you're a pretty big guy yourself."

Ichigo turned around from removing his wraps and putting them in his bag to find Grimmjow right behind him. He felt his breath hitch and Grimmjow leaned forward and kissed him, a large arm wrapping around his waist and pulling him closer. He tentatively ran his teeth along Ichigo's lip, seemingly unsure. Ichigo's body, again acting without his consent, he opened his mouth wide and felt Grimmjow's tongue slide in, gently moving across his own. The hand that was wrapped around Ichigo's waist slowly moved down to his hip bone, the larger man pressing his thumb against the taught skin there and receiving a whimper in response. Again it was Grimmjow who pulled away first, looking at Ichigo with sultry eyes before grinning.

"What was that for," Ichigo asked, panting harshly.

"Because I won. And because it was kind of hot how close you were watching me."

"How do you figure you won?"

"By default," Grimmjow replied cockily. "You refused to hit me, so I win."

Ichigo couldn't help but smile.

"If you weren't so interesting to watch I probably would have tried." He surprised even himself by pushing up on his toes and kissing Grimmjow again, one hand resting on his chest and another behind his ear. When he pulled away, painfully red-faced, Grimmjow looked bewildered.

"What was that for," he asked, voice a little deeper.

Ichigo smiled, looking Grimmjow directly in the eye, feigning confidence.

"It was my prize for letting you win."


	6. Chapter 6

After parting from Grimmjow at the gym, the two having agreed to meet the very next day for dinner, Ichigo started walking home and called Renji immediately, as promised.

"Ichigo, is that you? Have you finally been made a man?"

"God you're an idiot," Ichigo laughed, rolling his eyes at his friend's perpetually dirty mind. "I told you, we were just going to spar."

"Well me and Ruk want to hear every detail. I think you should tell Orihime too since she's obsessed with you. Plus you could kill a puppy in front of him and Chad would still love you. So, I'll call everyone and we'll meet you at your place. Later!"

"Chotto, Ren -," Ichigo started, but the line was already dead. He sighed, nervous about telling his other two friends.

_You know you'd have to tell them down the line anyway, _he thought, trying to brace himself. He got to his house and flung his front door wide, immediately stepping to the side as he anticipated his usual greeting.

"ICHIGOOOOOOO~!"

He watched as his father flew through the air out the door, landing in the yard. Ichigo just shook his head before walking inside.

"You're never going to learn, are you goat-face?"

"My lovely son," his father Isshin said, rubbing his scuffed face as he followed him into the house, "you just get better and better! Soon I'll have nothing to teach you!"

"How is attacking me each time I get home teaching me anything except how weird you are?"

"You'll find out some day, when you meet a lady and fall in love~." Ichigo blanched at his fathers words, the thought of how he would one day have to explain to his dad that he was never going to find a girl and fall in love with her making him nauseous. At the same time he tried to find the correlation between his dad's roundhouse kicks and loving a woman; he could not.

"You really are out of your mind, old man." Ichigo turned around at the female voice and was eye to eye with his two sisters, Karin and Yuzu. He dropped down, putting an arm around each of them.

"How was school you guys?"

"It was great, Ichi-nii," said the sweeter, more motherly Yuzu, placing a kiss on his cheek.

"Yeah, my team killed our opponent in our soccer game," said dark-haired Karin, who was very much like Ichigo himself. "They were a grade above us, too."

"Of course you did," Ichigo said with a smile, ruffling her short hair a little. "You're my sister after all." He kissed them both on the tops of their heads and then stood up, grabbing his bag and facing his father.

"Renji and the others are going to be over in a little bit, tell them to just head upstairs, okay?"

"Of course my beautiful boy," Isshin responded, lunging at Ichigo again. "Your father would do anything for you because he loves you so mu – oof!" He was cut off as Ichigo stepped away and he flew face first into the wall.

"Tsk, you really are off your nut."

Ichigo bounded up the stairs and went into his room, leaving on his tee shirt and trading his basketball shorts for a pair of slender black sweat pants. He had just sat down on his bed when he heard a commotion from down in the foyer followed by a stampede of teenage footsteps that stopped at his door with a knock.

"Ichi, its Renji, you better be decent and not thinking about you know who!" Ichigo blushed and rolled his eyes.

"Get your stupid ass in here," he called out, and his door opened to reveal Renji, Rukia, Orihime and Chad. They all filed in, Rukia sitting next to Ichigo on his bed, Renji sitting backward on his deck chair, Orihime opting for the floor and Chad standing near the wall, as usual.

"So, Kurosaki-kun," Orihime said brightly, blushing a little bit. "Renji said you wanted to tell us something."

"Is everything okay, Ichigo," Chad said in his soft, deep voice, sounding a little concerned. Ichigo instinctively looked at Renji, who translated for the room.

"Yeah everything's fine, he's just got some news. And it's kind of big news and he's trusting you by telling you so be cool. So?" All eyes now on him, Ichigo took a deep breath, looking down at his hands before speaking.

"I kind of met someone..."

Rukia and Renji both smiled, already aware of his blue-haired love interest. Orihime looked sad for a moment before hiding it under another bright smile. Chad just looked like...Chad.

"So who is she," Orihime said as happily as possible. "Do we know her?"

"Uhm, about that...," Ichigo grew even redder and looked to Renji to speak for him again.

"Jesus man, its not a big deal, just say it! Its a tall, sexy, blue-haired man you met in jail," Renji blurted out, ignoring the looks of shock and an eye-roll courtesy of Rukia. "See, no big deal."

"You have absolutely no tact, you know that you giant red pineapple?" Rukia put a hand on Ichigo's shoulder and tried to explain for him a little more appropriately.

"Ichigo found someone he likes, and that person does happen to be male. He participates in fights, as do our two idiot friends here, which got him in a little trouble. Right, Ichi?"

"Actually," Ichigo said in sudden realization, "I haven't asked him why he was in jail. I just assumed it was because of a fight because he was out three days after." Rukia looked at him like he had just smacked her.

"So you're telling me it never dawned on you until now that he could have been in jail for something serious and just let go on a technicality? Ichigo, an oversight like that isn't like you." Ichigo looked down, disappointed in himself.

"You're right. But I'm meeting him for dinner tomorrow after he gets off work, so I promise I'll ask him then, okay?"

"Please do," Rukia sighed, sounding much more worried now than angry.

"Well thanks for totally ruining the moment there, midget," Renji said looking irritated. Rukia stuck her tongue out at him and Renji returned the sentiment by flipped her off. The exchange was enough to make everyone laugh, bringing them back to their previous jovial mood.

"So will tomorrow be your first date with him," Orihime asked smiling again.

"Well after Renji and I saw him at a fight last week, we recognized each other and talked for a little bit. Then today after school I met him at a gym and we sparred."

"About that," Renji said, "you look a lot less beat up than I assumed you would be. You aren't bleeding or missing teeth or anything. What's up with that?"

"I'm a way better fighter than you, that's what's up," Ichigo said, causing his other three friends to laugh. "Honestly I didn't try to hit him that much. He's amazing to watch."

Renji nodded, looking pensive. "Yeah, I gotta admit he is pretty cool. Must have been fun to see him so up close. So did you wrestle around on the floor at all?"

"Dammit Renji your such an idiot!" Rukia grabbed a pillow off the bed before getting up and smacking the red-head with it, giving the rest of the room another laugh. With that, it was just accepted, even by Orihime, that Ichigo liked a guy.

_I have some pretty great friends,_ Ichigo thought to himself as he watched Rukia beat Renji with the pillow a few more times. Everyone was laughing so loud that they failed to hear the small, quiet footsteps leading away from the door and down the hall.

* * *

After watching Ichigo leave, admiring his very cute ass as he went, Grimmjow turned and went back into the gym, heading over to the lounge area and grabbing a bottle of water. Nnoitra noticed his return and after finishing his conversation with the receptionist, walked over and took a seat next to his friend.

"How'd it go, blue?" Grimmjow sighed happily, unable to hide his smile.

"Kid's pretty great. I'm taking him to dinner tomorrow."

"You might was to check out your crotch when you get home, I think yer turnin' into a woman," said Nnoitra with a smirk, earning a playful "fuck you" from his friend. They both sat quietly for a moment before Nnoitra spoke again.

"Yer sister called me, ya know," he said, his serious tone uncomfortable for Grimmjow.

"Sorry, I didn't think she would bother you, just ignore her," he said, trying to laugh it off. Nnoitra's face grew even more sober, and he kept eye contact until Grimmjow felt the need to look away.

"It ain't just yer sister who's worried. You can't keep doing these public fights forever Grimm, you're gonna land yerself in a lotta shit."

"Nnoi you know its the only thing that keeps me sane," he said, meeting his friends gaze again before turning away. "I mean what would you have me do?"

"Fuckin' anything blue, anything that's gonna keep ya happy and in one piece."

"So what, you think I should go work for Aizen too, then?" Grimmjow's voice had taken a terrifying tone, laced with enough ice and venom to make even Nnoitra recoil from him a bit. He squeezed his water bottle so hard the cap almost flew off from the pressure.

"Grimm you know I didn't say nothin' like that," Nnoitra said softly, sounding a little wounded from the implication. "I don't know where that shit came from but if Nelliel brought him up that ain't my fault. And it ain't her fault either since you refuse to tell her the truth."

"How can I fucking tell her something like that," Grimmjow said in a raised voice, eliciting nervous looks from patrons. Even though he was the owner and his friend was making a scene, Nnoitra held his ground and raised his own voice in return.

"God dammit Grimmjow she's your fucking sister. You don't gotta ask how. What you should be askin' is why you haven't told her already." Grimmjow stared down at his hands, making no move to respond. Nnoitra cursed under his breath, knowing how sensitive a subject it was, and felt frustrated that he couldn't help.

"Look," he said, sighing and taking a gentler tone. "I know that shit ain't the kinda thing you wanna tell someone over the phone, and you two don't see each other too much 'cause she's in Tokyo. But this has been eatin' you alive since we were in high school, blue. I remember, I was fucking there."

"Yeah, Nnoi, I remember too," Grimmjow said, much calmer than before. He looked up with a sinister grin. "I remember ya had yer hair down to yer fucking knees and yer accent was even worse than s'now." Nnoitra laughed loudly, drawing attention again.

"Ya ain't gott'n rid o' the Osaka in ya either, Jow," he said with a wide smile, letting himself regress back into the accent of his home town. "Do Nel still got her's when she's mad?"

"Fuckin' right she does," said Grimmjow laughing again. They kept the gaze fore a moment, both thinking about just how long the three had known each other. Grimmjow met Nnoitra in the second group home he an Nel had lived at. The two boys had encountered each other when they were only nine years old and after a few months of kicking the living hell out of each other each time they crossed paths, they somehow became friends.

They stayed together in group homes though middle and high school, growing close enough that they were considered brothers more than friends. Even Nel had grown attached to Nnoitra, who treated her like a little sister just as Grimm did. Their makeshift family was together until Nel moved to Tokyo two years ago, receiving an impossibly good offer from a prestigious law firm after passing her bar exam. They told her that she could probably make partner after a few years. They three still got together for holidays when possible, and Grimmjow and Nnoitra were still close as ever, even though the lanky man grew increasingly busy with his business.

"Just promise me you'll at least think about tellin' her, okay?" Nnoitra gave Grimmjow another serious look, watching his friend sigh.

"Yeah, I'll think about it," he said quietly.

With that, Grimmjow said his farewell and headed back in the direction of his apartment. His thoughts wandering to a certain orange haired youth, he didn't notice the black, foreign-model sedan parked across from the gym as he passed by and turned a corner.

A tall, slender man with dark brown hair slicked back strode across the street, two minions following close behind. He entered the gym that Grimmjow had just left and strode over the lounge area, tapping on the shoulder of the owner who turned around with wide eyes.

"Hello Nnoitra," he said a voice so laced with fake kindness it was slimy. "It's been a long time." Nnoitra clenched his jaw and narrowed his eyes, not bothering to reciprocate the false sincerity.

"The fuck do you want from me, Aizen?"


	7. Chapter 7

Standing over the copier, listening to it hum hard at work, Grimmjow glanced at the clock for the fifth time in the last half hour. _7:45PM,_ he thought to himself with a sigh. _Just fifteen minutes more, then dinner._ Grimmjow took the copies from the machine after it quieted, noting that it was some financial spreadsheet for the quarter, and headed into his boss's office to deposit it on his desk.

"That's all for tonight, Jaegerjaques. You can head out," an authoritative voice droned at him. Grimmjow found the man incredibly annoying, and based on their interactions he wasn't that bright, either. But at least he was dismissed. He slipped into the stairwell from his floor and began descending, unbuttoning his shirt sleeves and rolling them up to his elbows before loosening his tie.

As he hit the street, he walked toward the center of town, his destination a small French restaurant called _Moineau. _It was he who had suggested it to Ichigo, and it wasn't because he was trying to impress his date. That's what he told himself, anyway.

He heard the twittering of his phone again, and looking at the screen saw it was Nnoitra. Grimmjow frowned, thinking that it was out-of-character for Nnoitra to call him, especially after just talking to him at the gym yesterday. Just as he was about to flip open his phone and answer, he rounded the corner ahead of him and caught a glimpse of a waiting figure just ahead, standing in front of _Moineau. _He had his back to him, but Grimmjow instantly knew it was Ichigo, and the call was forgotten as he increased his pace.

He was about to call out to him when he noticed that Ichigo was not alone. There was a man standing in front of him, wearing an expensive looking white coat. The stoop of the restaurant was too dimly lit for Grimmjow to make out anything else until Ichigo turned to the side, and Grimmjow saw that the other man had a hand on his shoulder. Grimmjow scowled, desperate to see the face of the man who was acting so intimate with him. He took just a few more steps toward them before the man turned from Ichigo and with his face now pointed in Grimmjow's direction and dread settled in the pit of his stomach as he recognized him.

Without thinking Grimmjow set out at a dead run, moving as fast as he could to reach Ichigo. It was then the man noticed him, and he smiled condescendingly at Grimmjow before sliding into a dark sedan. Ichigo could hear his voice in his head, and the words that he knew were paired with that look.

_I can take anything from you. _

* * *

Ichigo arrived in front of the dimly-lit meeting place and glanced down at his watch. _7:45PM_, he thought to himself. _I'm a little early. _He sighed and leaned against the brick wall behind him, deciding he would wait outside for Grimmjow. He felt his stomach do an impossible gymnastics stunt at the thought of the man he was meeting. He was so incredibly nervous. He felt his phone rumble in his pocket, and pulled it out to find a message from Renji.

_ If you don't get some tonight, we aren't friends anymore._

Ichigo couldn't help but laugh aloud and was about to reply to his friend when he noticed a large, black four-door car purr to a slow stop in front of him. It was an import, which made it stand out. They were in Japan, after all.

One of the sleek back doors swung open and a tall, middle-aged man emerged, dressed in an expensive looking white jacket. Ichigo assumed he was headed into the restaurant, but to his surprise the man stared directly at him. He sauntered over, offering a very pleasant smile and extending a hand.

"Hello there, you must be Ichigo," he said in an almost overly kind voice. Ichigo was startled to say the least, but extended a hand to the man anyway and shook.

"Yes, that's my name. I'm sorry, have we met?"

"No, not formally," he said tilting his head. "I actually happened to see you in a fight." Ichigo blanched, becoming very aware of the fact that he was not legally an adult. Noticing the change in expression, the taller man laughed lightly.

"Don't worry, I'm not here to give you trouble. I'm a...talent scout, if you will."

"Talent scout?"

"Yes," he said almost languidly, drawing out the syllables a little too much. "Or, something along those lines. Anyway, I was quite impressed with you. And then I happened to see you leave a gym yesterday afternoon; that's where I got your name."

"I see," Ichigo said, too naive to be more skeptical. He waited for the older man to continue, the silence extending to just verge on uncomfortable.

"I actually have a few contacts in the world of MMA, and I would love to introduce you to them. It might give you the chance at a career," he said.

"You'd really do that," Ichigo said, thoroughly shocked. He received another seemingly innocent smile in response.

"Of course," he said before growing distant just a moment, appearing to be looking just past Ichigo. He then placed a heavy hand onto Ichigo's shoulder, directing his attention back. "It appears I need to get going though, so here is my card. Call me some time and I can get you set up for an evaluation." Ichigo took the small, stiff rectangle, pure white with black type.

_Aizen Sousuke._

_ "_Sure, Aizen-san," he said with a small bow. He received only another wide smile in return before Aizen turned and slipped back into his sedan, Ichigo watching as it moved down the road. He slipped the business card in his pocket, but before he could turn around he felt fingers like steel bite into his bicep, yanking him around with unbelievable force. To Ichigo's surprise he found himself looking at Grimmjow. He quickly realized it was not the Grimmjow he knew. His eyes were wide and unfocused, his upper lip pulled back to reveal sharper than average teeth.

"Grimm -"

"What were you doing talking to that man," he seethed, appearing almost like he was no longer in control of himself.

"Grimmjow your hurting my arm, please - ," he said softly, but the larger man only held tighter, shaking him like he was only a small child.

"I asked you what you were doing talking to that man!"

Cowering against the waves of booming sound, Ichigo knew then that he was afraid. His lip trembled, his mouth opening but unable to form an answer. He felt tears pricking at the corners of his eyes. He brought his right hand up and laid it gently on the vice gripping his left arm, looking up with pleading eyes as his only source of communication.

* * *

Suddenly it was like the world started spinning again. Grimmjow's eyes cleared, looking first to Ichigo's face and then to his right hand. He released him, looking at his arm like it was some foreign appendage that he couldn't recognize. Then he looked back to the smaller, shaking figure in front of him, stepping forward and reaching out only to see Ichigo flinch slightly. He thought he was going to throw up.

_What did I just fucking do, _he thought, disgust and guilt welling up inside him like a hurricane. Trying to ignore the sight of Ichigo recoiling, he moved forward and wrapped his arms around his shoulders.

"I'm sorry," he said, knowing that it wouldn't fix anything.

_This is what I always do, _Grimmjow thought bitterly. _All I can do is hurt people. _He stood holding Ichigo's trembling form, waiting for the inexorable denial. He waited to be rebuffed, to never see the younger boy again. He steeled himself, trying to be ready for the crushing disappointment, the pain that came from being rebuffed and left alone again.

"S'okay."

Grimmjow could scarcely believe his ears. He pulled away slightly, trying to get a look and the face below him. Ichigo looked up, still showing remnants of fear but smiling all the same.

"It's okay," he said again. He moved into the larger man, resting his forehead against Grimmjow's chest.

"You aren't leaving," Grimmjow asked tentatively, still waiting for the familiar sting of loss with confusion. Ichigo just shook his head, still resting against him.

"No, of course not. But," he said, looking up again, eyes filled with sincerity, "I would rather go inside the restaurant and get something to eat than stand out here. I'm really hungry."

Grimmjow just stared, unable to comprehend what was happening. He had lashed out, showing the worst side of himself to someone who didn't deserve it, but he wasn't pushed away. He was accepted. He found himself laughing in confusion, unable to think of any other better reaction. He hugged Ichigo to himself one last time before they turned and went in to have dinner.

Sitting down at a secluded table that Grimmjow had reserved, he took a minute to finally appreciate how marvelous Ichigo looked tonight. He had on a pair of tight, dark jeans that flattered him and was wearing an untucked pale blue button-down with a khaki-colored military jacket. The collar of his shirt was unbuttoned just enough to expose the hollow of his throat and the delicate lines of his collarbones. Ichigo looked up when he noticed Grimmjow staring, and smiled again, blushing just slightly.

"I should have said it a lot earlier, but you look really great," Grimmjow said to him, causing his smile to grow wide enough to show his straight, white teeth.

"Thank you," he said, still keeping eye contact. "You look really nice too."

"Really? I think I look dumb in a tie. Not exactly my style." Ichigo laughed a little before looking back down.

"No," he said quietly. "Actually, I think it really flatters you. You're very attractive." Grimmjow grinned, making eye contact with his date again as they were served. For a few moments they ate quietly before Ichigo spoke again.

"There's something I'd like to ask you," he said, sounding a bit apprehensive. "I know its really none of my business and of course you don't have to answer."

"Go ahead, what is it?"

"Well, when we met you were...you know, in jail at the time. I was wondering why." It hadn't even occurred to Grimmjow that he never explained why he was locked up.

_Kid probably thinks I'm a maniac after earlier, _he thought, knowing Ichigo deserved a response.

"To be honest," he said, sighing, "it was one big misunderstanding. I'll try to keep it brief. I was having a fight and things got loud so someone called the cops. They showed up and I took my knife out of my pocket thinking one of them would charge me if it was concealed. Of course, one of them assumed that I was stabbing the bloody guy in front of me and I did something stupid and I ran. A day later these idiots who come watch me a lot show up at my door asking to crash. I say no but they ended up there anyone. Cops end up crashing through my door Monday night, arresting everyone and slamming me with a lot of charges. Some of the guys who come to watch me started a gang and now the police think I'm some yakuza lord. Anyway, I go before a judge Friday morning and turns out one of the arresting officers withheld evidence and a whole bunch of other shit so I just got stuck with a couple of misdemeanors and they let my ass go." He sighed again. "I'm sorry I probably should have explained that to ya earlier."

Ichigo shook his head, looking unfazed.

"I assumed it was something to do with a fight. That's why I was there to get my friend Renji, we had been at one on the other side of town the same night. It happens," he said with a shrug.

_He sure is understanding_, Grimmjow thought. The two finished up dinner, idling chatting about themselves and their lives. It seemed like only a few minutes had passed but when Grimmjow looked at his watch, it was nearly 11:00PM.

"Its getting kind of late," he said, standing up and extending a hand to his date.

"Yeah," Ichigo replied, "you're right. I should probably get home."

"I'll walk you, lets go."

The two set out down the street towards Ichigo's house. They had been walking for a few minutes when Grimmjow felt something warm touch his palm. He looked down to see Ichigo twining his fingers with his, the smaller boy looking up at him nervously.

"Is this okay?" Grimmjow couldn't help but grin. Kid was just too damn cute.

"'Course it is," he said quietly, leaning down and kissing the top of soft, orange locks. They walked that way for a while before coming to a stop in front of the Kurosaki Clinic. Ichigo stood in front of Grimmjow and looked up at him, clearly wanting to say something. Putting a hand on his shoulder and pressing his thumb gently against Ichigo's collarbone, he waited patiently for him to speak.

"I had a really good time," he said softly, but Grimmjow knew something was bothering him.

"I did too. But I won't be able to go home knowing you're worried about something. What is it?" Ichigo bit his lower lip and turned away, thinking a moment before speaking.

"Why were you so upset earlier?"

_There it is, _Grimmjow thought with a sigh. He automatically stiffened again at the thought of Aizen, unable to respond.

"It was that man, wasn't it? You know him," Ichigo said quietly, showing enough insight to make Grimmjow uncomfortable.

"It's not something I can really explain," Grimmjow said, trying to divulge as little as possible. "That man..." he continued, his chest tightening as he thought of him.

_That man wants to destroy everything that matters to me. Things like you. _Grimmjow was lost in thought when he felt a hand come to rest on his cheek.

"Its okay," said Ichigo patiently, his red-brown eyes shining bright enough to give Grimmjow chills. "You can take as much time as you need to explain it to me. After all," he said, moving a little closer and bringing both his hands up to wrap around Grimmjow's neck, "I have a feeling I'm going to be seeing a lot of you." Ichigo then pushed up on his toes and kissed him softly, Grimmjow's hands moving to wrap around the slender hips that pressed against him. As they stood there together, melding under the eyes of the streetlamps, Grimmjow felt a sharp pang in his chest, a muddling of fear and worry for the smaller man resting in his arms.

_You are the one thing I won't let him take._


	8. Chapter 8

Ichigo stood in front of the bathroom mirror after his shower, a towel hanging low on his waist. He looked again at the red marks bitten into the top of his right arm in the shape of the large, comforting hand that belonged to Grimmjow. He touched the marks gently, knowing they would bruise. For whatever reason, Ichigo didn't mind them too much. He liked the thought of Grimmjow marking him.

_Jesus I am fucked up, _he thought with a shake of his head, removing his towel and getting dressed before heading into his bedroom. He flopped down on his bed and grabbed his phone, flipping it open and finding a message from Renji.

_Hey man, I never heard back from you. Are we friends? _

Ichigo couldn't help but laugh, thinking back to the earlier, forgotten message. Ichigo's mind had started to drift dangerously on the topic of his "getting some" with Grimmjow before he heard a knock on his door. It was a knock he knew, but one that usually didn't come calling so late.

"Karin? Come in," he said, watching the door swing open to reveal his sister, already in a nightshirt and flannel pants. She shut the door behind herself, making Ichigo worry even more than her late visit. She only increased his anxiety when he realized she was not accompanied by Yuzu. The two were twins after all, and they were almost always together when at home.

She sat down on the edge of Ichigo's bed, and finally had him downright terrified as she leaned against his shoulder, showing a great deal of uncharacteristic vulnerability. Ichigo wrapped a strong arm around her shoulders and ran his rand over her hair, trying to be as comforting as possible in the rare, intimate moment.

"Karin, is everything okay?"

"Dunno Ichi, you tell me." Ichigo was confused by her response, and by the soft tone of her voice.

"Seriously, what's up? You can tell me anything. That's why you call me brother, remember?" He smiled at the phrased he had shared with his two younger siblings since they had been just toddlers. Karin stiffened and sat up, looking at Ichigo with hurt in her dark eyes.

"Yeah well the same doesn't seem to go for you," she said, previously soft manner gone. "I might be younger than you but you call me sister. That means you should tell me all the important stuff too."

"Karin I don't know what has you worried, but -,"

"I'm worried because my big brother didn't tell me he was seeing someone!" Ichigo felt himself blanch, instantly afraid. Thousands of thoughts started spinning instantly, clogging his claustrophobic mind.

_How much does she know? Does she know I like a guy? Did she see me kiss him just now? Oh God, did she tell Dad?_

Before his mind could implode from overactivity, Ichigo felt Karin lean against him again, huffing. What's more, she wrapped her small but muscular arms around his midsection, hugging tight.

"You didn't really think it would matter to me that it was another boy, did you," she said, her previous vulnerability showing its face again. Ichigo felt his chest tighten at the sound of pain in her voice.

"I'm sorry," Ichigo said, turning towards her and wrapping his arms around her frame. She scooted forward a little, lifting herself into his lap. "I should have told you."

"You call me sister. That means you can tell me everything. Remember?"

"Yeah," he said laughing, burying his face in her hair. "I remember."

It occurred to him for not the first time that his relationship with Karin and Yuzu was not typical, bordering on father-daughter in place of brother-sister. Ichigo was fiercely protective, often to the point of stupidity, which had meant he had always wanted to keep his sisters from the uglier things in the world. Things he had learned about much earlier in life than he should have, starting with the death of his mother. He didn't ever want them to feel those things.

That desire to keep them pure from the experiences he had taken on as a child led him to never tease them or pick on them like most older brothers did, not even harmless joking or prodding. He spoke only softly, touched only with kindness, counseled them only with support and stood before them only with his arms spread wide. He always tried to treat them like the princesses he knew the world didn't believe they were. They would always be his girls.

"So is he cute," Karin said, breaking his train of thought and peeking up at him with a smirk. Ichigo gave her a smirk of his own.

"He's very cute."

* * *

Grimmjow sat on his bed, thinking about his evening. He felt his stomach constrict.

_What the hell do I do now?_

Before he could reflect further he heard his phone twitter beside him. He groaned as he looked at the screen.

"What, Nel?"

"Now that ain't no way to talk to your sister, 'Jow," came the whiny voice through the phone.

"Yeah I know," he said, running his hand across if face. "Sorry."

"The hell is wrong, Grimm," she said, voice dropping into a slightly more serious tone. "You don't sound too good." He clenched a fist as he heard Nnoitra's well-meaning words rumble across the plains of his consciousness.

"_Promise you'll consider talking to her, okay Grimm?"_

_ "_Its nothing," he said, cursing internally for avoiding the subject again. "Just tired."

"Well," Nelliel drawled, sounding totally unconvinced, "you better get some sleep then. Your lady friends keepin' you up all hours?"

Grimmjow thought of his current interest keeping him up into the wee hours of the morning and had to suppress a growl.

_If only._

_ "_No Nel, you only wish I had some pesky chick around to watch over me."

"So there is someone then, just ain't some broad." Her words were a statement, not a question.

"How the hell you get that from what I said," Grimmjow grumbled back, angry she was right. He instantly knew she had him trapped.

"Well shit fuckin' hell 'Jow, I can't believe someone's actually got yer attention. Who it is?"

"I really don't wanna have this conversation Nelliel -,"

"Well this ain't some polite suggestion," she said, growing almost shrill. Grimmjow soured and cringed away from the phone.

"He's just a boy I met."

"A boy, huh?"

"Yeah. Like I said. A boy."

"And ya like 'im?" Grimmjow felt his stomach twist a little, thinking of Ichigo reaching up to kiss him just earlier.

"Yeah. I like 'im."

"Then that's good enough fer me." Grimmjow's eyebrows shot up at the nonchalant answer. Typically she would pester him over it for as long as possible before he would relent and hang up on her.

"And that's it," he said, still skeptical.

"For now. Until I meet 'im in a few weeks here, at least."

"The fuck are you talking about?! You finally lost yer goddamn mind, woman?"

"Keep dreamin'," she said, sighing like she was uninterested. "I'm just assuming you'll be gentleman enough to introduce yer boyfriend to yer sister when she come's to see ya in three weeks."

"And when the hell did ya decide to make that unilateral decision?"

"A week ago," she said, sounding sober in a frightening way, "about the same time you hung up the phone on me. Obviously I need to come teach yer ass some manners in person. I booked the flight four days ago." Grimmjow sighed, knowing there was no way he could escape the wrath of the typhoon that he called a sister. He suddenly felt incredibly tired and had an urge to wrap himself around a certain smaller frame.

"My place is a real shit hole. You should stay with Nnoi."

"As long as I can talk to my baby brother," she said, voice now soft.

"Yeah," he said, beginning the process of preparing for the discussion he would force himself to have with her. "Guess it's 'bout time." It was then his phone beeped in his ear, signaling that he had another call. Looking at the display, he saw it was Nnoitra.

_He called me just before dinner, too. That ain't like him._

"Nel," he said quickly, "Nnoi's on the other line. I gotta take this. Love ya." He quickly accepted the call, and was cut off before he could even mutter a greeting.

"Grimmjow why the fuck didn't you answer my call?" His friend's lapse into formal language was unsettling.

"I had dinner with Ichigo -"

"Aizen is here." Grimmjow felt his chest contract.

"How did you know he was in town?"

"Because just after you left my place on Friday he drug his filthy ass into my gym. And he was asking things, Grimm. Wait a second," he said, sounding confused, "how did you know he was around before I called you?"

"I saw him tonight," Grimmjow said, jaw clenched tight enough to practically grind bone. "He was tryin' to talk to Ichigo."

"Well I don't know what the fuck he wants with your beau but he came in my gym asking about you and him. Asked me why you hadn't called him, and I said 'cause he was a rat-faced sonofabitch. Then he asked me who the orange haired kid was." Nnoitra's voice dropped, sounding pissed and almost guilty. "I jus' said his name was Ichigo. Said he came to my gym cause he was a good fighter. I didn't know that he had seen ya with him, I thought I could lie about it. But if he actually tracked him down," he said, deflated, "I guess I didn't do too good. I'm sorry, blue."

"Ain't your fault," Grimmjow said, trying to process what he now knew about Aizen's visit. "Bastard always shows up when I find something to grab onto. S'not new."

"'Jow -"

"I need some time, Nnoi. Thanks for calling." Grimmjow closed his phone, letting his head hang in his hands. He didn't know what to. The issues he had in his past were supposed to be no one's problem but his own. When thinking about it rationally, he recognized that the real reason he had never explained himself to his sister was because he didn't want her to bear the burden of the knowledge. The only one he allowed to help him shoulder that weight was Nnoitra, and his friend had literally kicked the shit out of him for two weeks straight until he had relented and told him.

It was only he and Nnoitra who knew that Aizen was a drug pushing prick with a penchant for befriending young boys without families and pimping them out to his sick fuck friends in exchange for offering them an escape from their seemingly hopeless lives. Boys like Grimmjow, some of which weren't smart or strong enough to turn him down.

Now, he had found someone he was fond of. He had encountered this boy who made him feel like he wanted to try, like he wanted to care what someone else thought and wanted for the first time in a long time. But because of him, and who he was, he was dragging Ichigo into a real mess.

_And I'm probably just making it worse by not telling him what I know._ Grimmjow sat silent for a few more minutes in the dark of his room, trying to quell his anxious mind to no avail.

_I want to hear his voice._

Grimmjow picked up the phone and listened to it ring.

"Hello? Grimmjow?" His heart felt much lighter.

"Hey, kid." Suddenly he heard a female voice on the other line, speaking quickly. After a few moments, Ichigo responded.

"I'm sorry, my little sister was with me. I sent her off to bed though."

"Good," Grimmjow said with a smirk. "I don't like sharing." He earned the sweet sound of Ichigo's subtle laughter and it was like being buzzed, the warm feeling of hops and ethyl alcohol traveling up his veins to his head and leaving him in a cloud.

"So," the intoxicating voice continued, "did you call to talk, or just to say goodnight?"

"Honestly?"

"Of course," Ichigo said.

"I guess I just wanted to hear you. Make sure you were okay. Somethin' like that," Grimmjow trailed off, feeling awkward.

"That's sweet," the younger man responded, sounding shy. "But from the way you sound, I think I should be the one seeing if you're okay. Believe it or not I was going to call after my sister went to her room."

"I'm a lot better now. But I'd be great if you were here," Grimmjow said, feeling incredibly generic. He was surprised at the boldness of the response he received.

"Well, I have to be up early for Karin tomorrow. She has a soccer game, and I have to get her and Yuzu ready, so there's no way I could go to you. But I don't see why you couldn't come here."

"It's not nice to joke with a guy like that, Ichigo," Grimmjow said, thinking carefully about how easily he could scale that large tree in front of the Kurosaki clinic and then pull himself up onto the overhanging roof of the first story. It suddenly sounded like a marvelous idea.

"Who said anything about joking?" Grimmjow's smile stretched wide and feral, recognizing the idea as some sort of challenge. He found himself incredibly excited.

"Give me fifteen minutes."


	9. Chapter 9

Ichigo bit his lip as he sat on his bed in the dark. He felt his stomach flip and constrict over and over, raising objection to his recent actions and their upcoming consequences. He ran his hand over his right arm trying to quell his anxiety.

_It's not a big deal,_ he thought, knowing that was anything but true. _Well, its not like he can just look at me and tell I'm a virgin, right?_ Ichigo was so lost in worry that he jumped at the sound of finger tapping gently against his window. He turned to see blue hair and eyes above a bright white smile shining in the darkness. Ichigo swallowed and turned on his bed, crawling over to the window on the other side and lifting up.

He backed away as Grimmjow slipped in through the opening, again surprised at how lithe he was for a large guy. He slipped in from the window to the foot of the bed and stood, peering around the room. Ichigo moved to stand in front of him, walking over from the other side of the bed, causing Grimmjow's eyes to follow him closely as he approached. Ichigo could barely breathe, and he would only occasionally peek up at the cerulean eyes boring into him through his fair eyelashes.

For what seemed like years, Grimmjow didn't move; just stood still, watching like he was waiting for something. Finally, Ichigo saw him smirk. Grimmjow took one large hand and ran his fingertips along the curves of Ichigo's throat. He felt himself shudder. It was akin an animal submitting to a larger mate by baring their most vulnerable point to them; Ichigo almost whimpered as he thought how easy it would be for Grimmjow to crush the delicate structure of his trachea.

He felt hands latch onto either side of hips as Grimmjow bent down and pressed their lips together. Ichigo sighed as teeth pressed into the flesh of his bottom lip, and he opened his mouth in response, feeling the heat of Grimmjow's tongue quickly. Grimmjow sat on the foot of the bed behind him and pulled Ichigo forward with the leverage on his hipbones, bringing the boy into his lap. Ichigo thought his head may burst.

Grimmjow removed his lips from Ichigo's and pressed his thumbs hard on the taut skin over the smaller mans hips. Ichigo gasped quietly and rolled his head back a little, feeling lips graze over the skin of his jaw. Grimmjow moved lower, his breath like gentle steam inciting trails of goosebumps as he went. Ichigo felt Grimmjow nuzzle the hollow of his neck and shoulder slightly before biting gently into his skin, sucking back on the collarbone underneath. Ichigo's back arched and he moaned as softly as he could behind his bitten lip. Suddenly, Ichigo felt the hands on his hips grip strongly and before he knew what was happening he was on his back, staring up into waves of blue threatening to crash down on him.

_Holy shit, _Ichigo screamed in his head, _this is it. This is really happening._

But to his surprise, Grimmjow flopped down on the bed beside him, wrapping his arms around his shoulders twining a leg between one of his own. Ichigo felt a mixture of relief and fear.

_So we're not going to do...it? Why did he stop? _Ichigo felt his gut drop.

_Is he not attracted to me?_

"Grimmjow," he said softly, becoming drowsy the warmth around him.

"Don't worry, kid," he replied softly, as if he could read Ichigo's mind. "That was just a greeting. I'm tired so just let me be here with you, yeah?"

Ichigo smiled and wrapped his own arms around Grimmjow's midsection, tucking his head against the larger man's neck.

"Thank you."

Above him, Grimmjow smiled and closed his eyes.

* * *

Ichigo woke up early the next morning, having set his alarm twenty minutes before he actually had to be up. He watched as the older man wrapped around him grumbled and grabbed at him tighter, trying to avoid what the beeping meant. Ichigo couldn't help but smile.

"Grimmjow?"

Another groan leaked out of him as he opened his eyes to mere slits, eyebrows furrowing.

"Mmmh, longer..." the larger man mumbled sleepily.

"I'm sorry, but I have to get up," Ichigo said, chuckling at the teenage-like response to an early morning. After a few minutes more of grumbling, Grimmjow sat upright in the bed, rubbing his face before tiling his head back and leaning on his arms behind him, eyes closed. Ichigo couldn't help but watch him in awe.

_He's just as sexy when he's just woken up, _he thought feverishly. _Bedhead almost looks better than his regular hair. _It dawned on him again how incredibly attractive Grimmjow was, which brought him back to his concerns about the previous night.

"Hey, Grimmjow?" He rolled his head in Ichigo's direction and opened his eyes.

"I gotta go, huh?"

"Not quite yet, I just wanted to ask you something."

"Whats wrong," Grimmjow said, looking concerned as he sat up straight.

"I just wanted to know...last night. I mean was that me? I know I'm a kid, and you're...you know..." Ichigo trailed off, turning away to look out the window in embarrassment. He soon felt large, comforting arms circle him and saw blue hair in his peripheral vision, Grimmjow's face resting on his shoulder.

"'Course it wasn't you," he responded, his voice muffled as it vibrated against Ichigo's shoulder. "I was just tired. Plus If I had my way, you sure as hell wouldn't be any good for your sisters today." Ichigo blushed and smiled, turning his face towards Grimmjow. "Like you said, I get the feeling I'll be seein' a lot of you Ichigo. No need to rush the good shit."

Holding on the the strong arms in front of him, Ichigo leaned back into Grimmjow's chest and sighed. The stayed that way for a little while until Ichigo heard small feet padding down the hallway before rapping on his door.

"Ichi-nii," Karin's voice called quietly, "you up?"

"Yeah, just give me a few minutes and I'll be out, okay? Wake Yuzu for me."

"Will do," came her little voice before she tapped quickly back down the hall. Ichigo looked at Grimmjow, his head still rested on his own shoulder, before sighing.

"Sorry, I gotta get them ready," he said.

"Damn," Grimmjow grumbled before standing up at the foot of the bed and stretching for a moment as Ichigo opened his bedroom window. Grimmjow crawled towards it and slipped through before turning around and smiling deviously. He took hold of the front of Ichigo's shirt and pulled him forward, kissing him both good morning and good bye. The two were so consumed in each other they didn't hear the door to their side open, two sets of tiny feet walking in.

"Nii-chan, do you know where Karin's -" Hearing the voice Grimmjow let go of Ichigo, who whipped his head around to his sisters. Yuzu stood with her hand over her mouth, looking like she may faint. Karin stood with her arms crossed, one foot tapping impatiently, tattooing the ground as she finally spoke.

"You gotta be kidding me, Ichi."

* * *

Grimmjow stood tensely among the throngs of soccer moms who stood around him and stared, grumbling quietly about people who hadn't seen a man with blue hair before.

_How the fuck did I end up at a kids soccer game?_

He thought about the events of the last 12 hours to try and figure it out. Last night Ichigo had given him the tantalizing offer to sneak into his house. As Grimmjow arrived, he could see that Ichigo was nervous, but he figured he was still young so it was probably normal. But then as he stood in front of him, Grimmjow saw it was not just youth but naivety; the boy had clearly never done anything like that before. Grimmjow was a man, and he was very attracted to Ichigo, but even he didn't want to take his first time after only knowing him a week. He wasn't that much of a bastard.

_I came close to bein' that bastard, though__._

So he had managed to steel himself into just spending the night, but then come morning when he tried to leave, Ichigo's nosy kid sisters decided to barge in. And boy, did that little black haired one look like she could rip off his damn balls if she had the mind to.

Somehow he was commanded back into the bedroom from his perch on the roof and then was made to stay for breakfast with the three siblings, which nearly had him digging out his eyes. The smaller, sweeter girl was the one who actually made breakfast, and she was pleasant enough. She had asked Grimmjow's name and if he liked his food, and if he and Ichigo were friends. That was about it. But the little dark haired one, she had it out for him. Grimmjow was pretty sure she was trying to kill him just by looking at him. She also gave her brother a few choice looks, and he scolded her a couple of times to which she responded with growls about "not minding the situation before she found the big blue haired dude on their roof".

In a different situation, Grimmjow would have liked her attitude. But when all her tiny wrath was directed at you, she suddenly became a lot less charming. Grimmjow sighed, watching the little black haired demon race across the field back and forth. Even he, who had never been interested in traditional sports, could tell she was good. In fact, she held up most of the team. Finally the game was over, and she trotted over to Ichigo, who dropped to a crouch and hugged her, telling her how proud he was. Grimmjow couldn't help but find it incredibly cute.

"Grimmjow?"

He was pulled out of his trance by the sound of Ichigo saying his name. Meeting his eyes, he cracked a grin.

"Yes?" Ichigo blushed a little bit, and Grimmjow had to physically hold himself back from mauling him in the grass.

"Uhm, I was just saying Yuzu wants me to come meet a friend of hers. I'm going to go over there where she's at with her mom," he said, already being drug away by the sweetly smiling girl. "Stay with Karin; I'll be right back." Grimmjow suddenly felt queasy and he turned around to see two dark eyes staring up at him with obvious contempt. He smiled and was about to attempt a dangerous diffusion of the situation, but the girl spoke first.

"So you are the one my brother was talking to his friends about?"

Grimmjow was a little taken aback. He didn't know that Ichigo had said anything to the people he knew about them seeing each other the past week. Subconsciously, he had figured that the orange haired boy wouldn't really want to tell people that he was casually dating a convict. Grimmjow wasn't unaware of the fact that he wasn't exactly someone you bring home to your folks. He felt that newly familiar tugging in his chest at the thought of Ichigo talking about him.

"Well, I didn't really know he had said anything, but..."

"He did. He said he found someone he liked. He didn't tell _me_ about you until last night, though."

Grimmjow cringed slightly at the malice in her voice. She took a large gulp out of a water bottle before sitting on the bench nearby. She motioned for Grimmjow to sit too and figuring he shouldn't protest he plopped down next to her.

"He hasn't ever told us about liking anyone before. Not me and Yuzu, and not his friends."

Her voice had softened, most likely at the thought of her brother. It was clear to Grimmjow they were very close, even closer than he, Nel and Nnoi. He listened to her intently.

"He also hasn't ever told us that he liked another guy before. But I can't say I didn't know. I mean if he didn't think Rukia _or_ Orihime were pretty then he was either blind or he didn't like girls at all. And I know he has 20/20 vision." She sighed, and suddenly Grimmjow felt like he was speaking to someone his age instead of a preteen.

"When I told Ichigo that I had overheard him talking about the person he was seeing with his friends, he was a little hesitant at first. But when he talked about you, he looked happy. I want my brother to be happy," she said, now raising her head to look at Grimmjow. Her eyes shifted quickly and were icy cold, narrowing in on his face.

"I want my brother to be happy and as long as you keep him that way I won't treat you any different than Ichigo's other friends. But the very second you hurt him, even by mistake," she said as her voice dropped a couple octaves, "you will have to deal with me. And you may be big but I promise I will beat you to a pulp. Got it?"

At this point Grimmjow's throat was rather dry. It was very rare for him to feel fear, and the only woman who had ever made him feel as small as he did now was his own sister. Grimmjow nodded, trying not to look away.

"Yeah. I got it."

And with that, the girl who seemed twice Karin's age was gone, and she gave him a lopsided smile that kind of looked like Ichigo's.

"He told me you were cute," she said, laughing a little. "I'm glad he wasn't lying. Although," she said, standing and heading over to where her siblings stood, "I'll take me a while to get use to that hair."


	10. Chapter 10

Ichigo's foot abused the discolored tiles under his harshly tapping foot in homeroom. His brow furrowed, he looked either very pensive or particularly seething. Luckily for those around him, it was not the latter; as the oblivious teacher droned on he found himself deep in thought. He looked out the window to his left as he did often, like the answer to the creation of life may be found in the passing fluffy forms of cumulus in the sky. He sighed.

He had now known Grimmjow for almost a month, the two seeing each other as often as jobs and school would allow. They often met at the gym of Grimmjow's friend Nnoitra, who Ichigo had grown to find much less unnerving. Ichigo had come to crave their fights, the physical and mental stimulation that the larger man and his quick, powerful movements provided almost like a drug. When they weren't fighting they would meet each other for dinner or coffee, and Ichigo couldn't help but feel like he was living in some ridiculous fairy tale.

The time that they spent together was so..._easy._ Ichigo, who was naturally pretty reserved, never felt pressure to make idle chit chat, or fill in the silences in between conversation. Grimmjow made it clear that he was perfectly happy just being near each other, and in fact he too often seemed quiet or like he was thinking. And the times they had touched each other, albeit going no further than intense making out and petting, had been indescribable. Grimmjow was like fire and electricity and the ocean and the pounding of his heart all combined to create a feverish bliss that drove Ichigo insane.

This in itself made Ichigo nervous; he had never really felt himself be dependent on another person before, but as the days went by he found hair like the sky and eyes like the sea passing behind his eyelids much too frequently. He had only had a few relationships in the past, all with his peers, and if he was being honest with himself they were mostly for the purpose of keeping up appearances. For whatever reason girls were attracted to him and the more he turned down the more suspicious people became.

_And teenagers can be brutal. _

He was broken out of his anxious thoughts by the sound of the bell dismissing the period for lunch. He stood from his seat and went with Rukia and Renji to his locker to put his books away. As he stood in front of the closed aluminum door, he could tell it had been tampered with. His padlock had been broken off of the latch. He looked at his friends before opening it, feeling his stomach drop and fighting the urge to puke.

The locker was full of cigarette butts. He suddenly heard laughter behind him and turned to see Ichinose Maki and his horde of dim-witted followers approaching him from the other side of the hallway. His face was smug as he spoke.

"Hey, Kurosaki," Ichinose said, feigning friendliness, "we heard that you like to hang out with _fags_, so we got you some."

"The only faggot I see around here is you, Maki-chan," Renji said, using the same fake camaraderie.

"As if, Abarai. Being a normal guy I strictly like pussy, unlike you. I guess you're just half a fag though, so you're better than your friend here." Ichigo saw his friend stiffen in his peripheral vision and he grabbed Renji just before he could lunge forward and beat the hell out of the smiling boy.

Ichigo had known Ichinose since middle school. He had always been popular, but even so he and Ichigo had actually been friends for about a year. Then, one night when Ichinose had come over to hang out, he had tried to kiss him. Ichigo was astounded; Ichinose had said on previous occasions that he didn't know how Ichigo could be friends with Renji who was, as always, openly bisexual. That night he had told him he was not interested and that he just wanted to be friends, trying as softly as he could to turn him down. Ichinose had simply stared at him and then left, never speaking to him again.

That is, he didn't speak to him again until high school, when he and his cronies started to bother him whenever possible, often times using hate speech towards he, Ren and Rukia, and any other person who may be perceived to be gay or have gay friends. Ichigo had kept quiet about the night in his bedroom and endured the childish teasing, but that was because he had never done something like this. Having calmed down Renji, he turned around to face him.

"Why did you do this, Ichinose?"

"Why?" He sneered at Ichigo with obvious disdain. "Because I saw you holding hands with your faggot boyfriend. He must be a real flamer with that hair of his." At that moment, it occurred to Ichigo that he owed this boy nothing. He had no reason to keep his secret. And now that he had brought Grimmjow into it, Ichigo had finally had his fill.

"Look," he said, stepping forward so they were only a few inches apart, his voice dropping. "Just because I turned you down when you tried to kiss me in my room when we were kids doesn't mean you get to run around being a fucking asshole. Unlike you I'm comfortable with my sexuality; maybe you should try doing some personal reflection instead of making every gay kid in this school pay for your clouded feelings about liking men."

The entire hallway so quiet that you could hear peoples eyelashes pat their cheeks as the blinked in shock. And just like that, almost appearing to Ichigo as slow motion, Ichinose reeled his arm back and balled up his fist. He thrust it forward right at Ichigo's jaw.

_I was hoping you'd try that, _Ichigo thought almost gleefully. In one smooth motion, he stepped to his right and grabbed Ichinose's right wrist as it hurtled towards him. He stepped in, closing all the distance left, and slipped his right foot behind the boys before putting all his weight into Ichinose's shoulder.

As the slightly taller boy started falling back under his weight Ichigo realized he was smiling widely, a habit he thought he picked up from fights with his blue haired love interest. Just before they hit the floor, Ichigo used the leverage of Ichinose's arm to flip him on his stomach, pinning him down. The hallway, or at least Renji and Rukia, erupted in cheers.

"You should have known better," Ichigo whispered in the loser's ear before standing up, grabbing his bag, and walking away with his friends close behind.

"That was really cool, Ichigo," Rukia said with a smile.

"Cool? You think "cool" could even describe something like that," Renji shrieked to his left. "That was the most badass fucking thing I've seen in my entire goddamn life!" Ichigo couldn't help but laugh before throwing a cocky grin over his shoulder at his incredulous friend.

"He's just lucky he didn't say that in front of Grimmjow."

The rest of the day was fairly uneventful, outside of a couple of intrigued looks and whispers from people who saw Ichigo's altercation. As the day finally ended, Ichigo met up with his friends at the front of his school. The five talked for a few minutes and then Chad excused himself, heading to the gym for kendo practice. Ichigo, Renji, Rukia, and Orihime set off in the direction of their respective homes, walking together as usual.

"So," Renji said, a devilish smile on his face, "how come I haven't heard about the time you've been spending with your man?" Ichigo punched his friend in the arm and gave him and sharp look.

"I don't know what you want to hear," he responded crossly.

"What do you mean you don't know what I want to hear? You guys have been seeing each other for like a month, right? I want to hear how good a lay he is!" Ichigo looked and him incredulously and Rukia called him a bastard before punching him in the shoulder harder that Ichigo had. Orihime just turned the color of a tomato.

"Goddammit Renji," Rukia said, rolling her eyes, "you are the most perverted idiot I have ever met. Why are we even friends with you?" Renji responded by flipping her off and giving her a goofy look before turning back to Ichigo.

"Seriously dude, have you two done anything?"

"Not like it's any of your business, but no, not really. Although," Ichigo said as nonchalantly as possible, "he has stayed over a couple times."

"What?!" Renji and Rukia both exclaimed with wide eyes, and Orihime turned almost purple as she gave a meek wave.

"Well guys this is my stop," she said meekly before running for her front door. "See you tomorrow!" Ichigo stood with his other two friends still staring at him in awe.

"So he has slept in your room," Rukia said, voice low like she was saying something inappropriate. "Isn't that a bit much?"

"Much? What I don't understand is if you've had him in your bed why haven't you let him plow you into the mattress?"

"Because I'm not a slut like you," Ichigo said pointedly at Renji, who gasped as if he was shocked and placed a hand to his chest.

"Slut? Me," he said incredulously.

"Who else," Rukia said with a snort, and she and Ichigo both laughed at Renji's indignant looks.

"Well regardless of the fact that pineapple head will let anyone with a pulse do him, have you really just shared a bed without anything happening?" Rukia looked skeptical at best. Ichigo nodded, trying to assure his concerned friend.

"He's never asked me to do anything I didn't want to," Ichigo said sincerely.

"If you don't want to fuck that gorgeous blue haired Greek hero then you're insane."

Renji again received punched from either side, the three laughing together. They reached the point where Rukia waved goodbye, turning down her street and leaving Ichigo and Renji alone. To Ichigo's surprise, his friend was quiet until the stood in front of the Kurosaki clinic.

"You know, you shouldn't ever force yourself into doing something with someone," he said, surprisingly serious. "But at the same time, if you want something, you shouldn't deny yourself." Ichigo blushed a little at the implication.

"Do you like him, Ichi?"

He looked up at his friend impatiently. "You know I do, Ren."

"Then you don't have to deprive yourself," he said, smiling wide. "There's nothing wrong with being physical with someone you like." With that he turned around and headed further down the street towards his house, waving goodbye over his shoulder.

Sighing as he turned and opened his front door, Ichigo saw his two sisters sitting in the kitchen. Yuzu was looking through a cooking magazine and Karin was juggling a soccer ball on her knee, looking rather focused.

"Hey girls, how was your day?" The two smiled when the saw him and both came over to hug his as he stooped down.

"It was good Ichi," Yuzu said in her bright voice. "Are you going to be here for dinner tonight?"

"No, I'm going to have dinner out tonight," Ichigo said as he kissed the top of her head and stood. He and Grimmjow had agreed to meet at a small jazz restaurant in the city tonight. He smiled to himself at the thought. The two girls looked at him knowingly, Karin nodding.

"Tell big blue we say hi," she said, picking her ball back up and bouncing it again on her knee.

"ICHIGOOOOOOO~ who is this person you are talking to your sisters about?" Reflexively ducking down, Ichigo watched as his father slid past him before ramming into the kitchen table, throwing Karin off and causing her to drop her ball.

"You freaking lunatic, I was on a roll," she yelled as she threw the ball at her fathers head, the impact making a loud cracking sound.

"Karin my lovely daughter, why are you so mean to me? Masaki, please tell our girls to be nice to their father!"

Ichigo laughed and was about to turn around to head upstairs before he heard his name being called in a slightly more serious tone.

"Ichigo~, who is this new person you're going to see that your sisters know but your loving father does not?"

"He's just a friend," Ichigo said, trying to lie as confidently as possible and hoping to god his sisters would back him up. "He's been helping me train and spar, and sometimes we hang out. That's all."

Isshin looked at his daughters, previous silly antics mostly gone.

"Yeah, he's come over to pick Ichigo up on the way to the gym," Karin said, looking uninterested as she scowled at the soccer ball she was once again juggling.

"He's very nice," Yuzu said with a sweet smile, opting to avoid lying while still not divulging her brothers secret. Ichigo breathed a silent sigh of relief.

"Well hopefully I'll get to meet your very nice friend," Isshin said in a tone verging on passive-aggressive. Ichigo just smiled and trudged up the stairs, winking at his sisters as he went. He went into his room and immediately started trying to decide what to wear. He grabbed a pair of jeans he liked, slinging them over his shoulder. When he did, he heard a small tapping sound as something fell to the floor. He turned around to see a small white card on the ground. Picking it up, he read the front.

_Aizen Sousuke._

It was then that Ichigo remembered his odd meeting with the older, dark haired man. Sitting down on his bed, he recalled Grimmjow's even stranger reaction to seeing the man. He touched his left arm without thinking, remembering the fingerprints that had been engraved in his skin for about a week. He bit his bottom lip.

_It could be a really big break for me,_ he thought, feeling his apprehension slowly slip away as he picked up his phone and read the numbers off the card.

"This is Hueco Mundo, Hinamori speaking."

"Uh hi, my name is Kurosaki Ichigo. I'm calling for Aizen Sousuke."


	11. Chapter 11

_ My train arrives_ _at Nagoya Station just after 6PM. Make sure you're there to get me. _Grimmjow stared at the screen of his phone with an impending sense of dread befitting of someone facing Armageddon. He read the words plastered on the LCD over and over, trying desperately to comprehend his situation.

_How did I forget my fucking sister would be here tonight? _He groaned and let his head fall into his hands. He already had plans to meet Ichigo for dinner downtown tonight around 7PM. There was no way he could pick Nel up in Nagoya, drop her off at her hotel, and still meet Ichigo in time. And he knew in the now nauseous pit of his stomach that if Nel found out he was meeting him, she would want to tag along anyway. He groaned again.

Picking up his phone he typed in a quick message to Ichigo, praying he wouldn't be too angry. Then he stood up, washed his face, and pulled on a more decent looking tee shirt and jeans before slipping on his dark brown moto jacket. He ran out the door, dialing Nnoitra's number as he flew down the stairs and out onto the street.

"Nnoi? Dude, I need to borrow your car."

* * *

Ichigo peered down discretely at his phone, seeing that it was a message from Grimmjow.

_Ichi, I forgot my sister was here tonight, and I have to pick her up in Nagoya. Dinner at eight, plus one annoying woman?_

Ichigo smiled and looked up at the well-dressed man behind the desk in front of him.

"I'm sorry, it turns out there was a change of plans. I can do the work-up today. It won't take long, right?"

Aizen smiled widely his eyes narrowing almost too quickly to be perceived.

"That's wonderful, Ichigo. It won't take long at all."

Smiling, Ichigo stood and followed Aizen down a hallway. After his receptionist had put him through, he was invited to come to Aizen's office called Hueco Mundo, which was basically a talent scouting and consulting agency that seemed to rely greatly on venture capital. Ichigo did his best to ignore what that implied, and focused on what a great opportunity he had been assured. Today he would just be weighed and measured and have his demographics taken, but Aizen had promised consultations with well-known influences in the world of MMA.

Ichigo was led into a small room where a tall, silver haired man was sitting behind a desk. He smiled at the two of them, and Ichigo couldn't help but think he looked like a fox; thin, almost closed eyes and a wide smile displaying small, slightly sharp teeth. He made him nervous as he stood and extended his hand.

"Hey ther', name's Ichimaru Gin. I'll be doin' yer stats today," he said, accent incredibly thick. Ichigo smiled and shook his hand, and then removed his jacket. The slender man took out a tape and started by delicately wrapping it around his shoulders with spider-like fingers. The silence a little too much for Ichigo, he turned his head to Aizen.

"So, I'm not sure if it's inappropriate to ask this, but do you happen to know someone named Grimmjow Jaegerjaques? He also goes by Pantera."

"'Course we know 'Jow. Known 'im since he was jus' a lil' street rat." Ichigo turned his head in surprise when it was the silver haired man, Ichimaru, who answered.

"You know him too, Ichimaru-san?"

"Jus' call me Gin," he said, smile growing even wider as he wrapped the tape around Ichigo's chest. "Yeah, we know 'im."

"You knew him when he was young, then," Ichigo said, turning back to Aizen.

"Yes," he replied, the word drawn out a little too much. "I found him in a group home in Osaka, he and his sister. He was a promising young fighter." Ichigo realized that although he had asked many things about Grimmjow's present life, he knew little to nothing about his childhood. He was eager to know more.

"He was good, yeah," Gin said while jotting down the figure from the tape attached to Ichigo's waist. "But he wouldn't listen none. Started doin' them street fights and got in a bit 'o trouble. But I'm bettin' you'll be better'n he was."

Ichigo felt something in his chest constrict. He was irritated that the fox-faced man had insulted Grimmjow, that was true. But that wasn't it. The entire statement just felt..._wrong_. Ichigo knew he was no pushover but there was no way he was on Grimmjow's level as a fighter. After more than a dozen sparring dates, Ichigo could say with confidence that Grimmjow had both a great amount of natural ability and an intense, honed skill that came only from hours of dedicated practice. That alone was the root of the problem.

_If Grimmjow cared enough to practice as hard as I know he had to, and loved fighting as much as I can tell he does now, why would he throw away a chance like this to do a street fight?_

"Not to be rude," Ichigo said, controlling his emotions, "but I, myself, have fought Grimmjow many times. I can barely hold my own with him, even when he is clearly holding back. There is no way I am a better fighter than he is."

The spider-fingers holding the tape around his hips stopped suddenly, and Ichigo watched as Gin turned his head to Aizen, too-wide smile now gone. He opened one eye to a sliver, and Ichigo could swear he saw Aizen's cheek twitch just a hair. Then, just like that, their exchange was over, Gin jotting down a number onto his clip board.

"Might be strong, but he's no better than an animal, that one. Couldn't handle fightin' with rules."

"However," Aizen said, his voice only a little firm but making Gin flinch nonetheless. "I appreciate that you say he is so strong. That is quite the compliment." Ichigo looked at him with his brow furrowed slightly, watching as Aizen's smile drifted even farther across his cheeks showcasing his almost too-white teeth.

"It was me who trained him, after all."

* * *

Ichigo dashed down the sidewalk cursing to himself.

_First time meeting his sister and I'm gonna be late, what the fuck, me? _Hitting the corner of the street the restaurant was on he peeked around and instantly saw beautiful blue hair floating in the distance. He took a few seconds to breathe, having ran from the station, fixing his hair and adjusting his clothes. He had picked the dark, slim jeans he wore to his meeting with Aizen and a fitted hunter green v-neck under a beige cardigan. Around his neck hung a slender gold chain that held his mother's wedding band. His father had given it to him when he turned 16.

He wasn't ashamed to admit he had cried, albeit not in front of Isshin.

He turned the corner and strode towards Grimmjow, who smiled when he caught sight of him. He was in the nicest pair of jeans Ichigo had ever seen him wear and an ivory cotton button down under his dark brown motorcycle jacket. Ichigo tried not to drool.

"Hey," he purred, ocean eyes half-lidded. Ichigo tried not to blush.

"Hi. I thought your sister was coming?"

"She's inside, said she'd die without a beer," Grimmjow said with a shake of his head before bending down and kissing Ichigo's cheek, placing a large hand in the small of his back.

"C'mon, she's dying to meet you."

Ichigo felt the familiar butterflies reserved for Grimmjow mix with the terror of meeting the only family member he had ever spoken of. He followed Grimmjow through the warm, dimly lit restaurant, soft jazz playing from the band on stage. They finally reached their table, just to the left of the bar, and Ichigo felt his eyes widen. The woman who stood there was beautiful.

She was probably a few inches shorter than Ichigo, but she was so commanding she took up half the room. She had the same intense, half lidded expression as her brother, but her eyes were a hazel color that swirled between pure jade and pale wheat. Her hair was pastel green and extended to her slender waist. She was in a sleek, wine colored sleeveless blouse tucked into a black pencil skirt. Ichigo saw a cream blazer hanging on the back of her seat. She was incredible in person, even though he had already seen photos of her and Grimmjow together.

When she spotted them her eyes widened and she smiled brightly, almost appearing childish. Ichigo swallowed and extended a hand to her as the reached the table.

"Hello, I'm Kurosaki Ichigo, you must be Nelliel. I've heard so much about you from Grimmjow, and I'm so glad to meet you. You look lovely, by the w-" He was cut off suddenly as Nelliel rounded the table and leaped on him with arms spread wide, almost knocking him to the floor.

"Itsygo! I'm so happy I got to meet ya! Yer so incredibly adorable, why on earth yer hanging out with my brother I have no idea!"

Ichigo smiled and awkwardly hugged her back, looking up at Grimmjow for some sort of assistance. He rolled his eyes again before putting a hand on his sister's shoulder.

"Dammit Nel, would you get off him and sit down? Yer scaring the poor boy." She turned and frowned at her brother, but with a little huff she let go of Ichigo and returned to her seat across from them.

"Yer just mad you ain't got him to yerself, 'Jow," she said, pouting. She livened up quickly, looking back to Ichigo and smiled warmly.

"I really am pleased to meet you," she said, sounding more formal than before. "My brother keeps to himself a lot, so I was surprised to hear he was seeing someone."

"You make me sound antisocial," Grimmjow growled, forcing Ichigo to hide a smirk.

"You sayin' you aren't?"

Grimmjow just grumbled again in response, and Ichigo couldn't help but chuckle, causing the two siblings to look at him.

"Sorry," he said meekly, "it's just obvious you two are close."

Grimmjow smiled a little and turned back to the menu in front of him, placing a hand on Ichigo's thigh from under the table. The three ordered and talked casually for awhile, eventually landing on Ichigo's plans for the coming years.

"So you looking at university then," Nel asked, taking a drink of her beer.

"I'm not quite sure yet," Ichigo said, looking at Grimmjow apprehensively. "I know it's not much of a career path but I'm interested in maybe fighting professionally. Although I would probably go to university anyway."

"Really," Nel explained, grinning and clapping her hands like a child. "Then I have just the person you should talk to! Our Uncle Aizen -"

Suddenly there was a huge crash on the table, rattling their glasses and plates as well as the other two occupants. Grimmjow's jaw was clenched tightly, his head turned down. Nelliel set her jaw like she was angry, but Ichigo could see her chest moving a little too quickly.

"Goddammit Nelliel," Grimmjow seethed almost at a whisper between his clenched teeth. With that he stood and headed for the door. Ichigo looked at his sister, unsure of whether he should go after him or not. She nodded firmly.

"Go," she said quietly. "He's been like this fer awhile. Won't listen to me." Ichigo was up in a second, running for the door, hearing Nel's last words ring in his ears as he went.

"Maybe he'll listen to you."

* * *

Grimmjow took a cigarette from the small case in his pocket and put it between his lips before lighting it and taking a heavy drag. He didn't smoke regularly, only when he was really stressed, or really fucking pissed. Right now he was the latter.

"Grimmjow?"

He turned at the sound of his name to the opening of the side street near the restaurant, Ichigo standing there with his hands clasped tightly.

"Sorry," he grumbled, looking away and feeling embarrassed at his outburst. "Just need a minute."

"You know, every time Aizen comes up you get really edgy. You've known him and Gin since you were a kid, right? Did something happen?" Grimmjow's veins turned to ice. He hadn't heard that name in a long time, and he hadn't said it himself since he left Osaka.

_There is no way he would know about Gin from me or Nnoi._

"How do you know about Ichimaru?" He watched as Ichigo froze, looking unsure. Grimmjow turned toward him and stepped closer, not noticing that Ichigo took a step back.

"How do you know about Ichimaru Gin? Has Aizen tried to talk to you again?"

"Aizen said he could help me out with a career," Ichigo said quietly, but still keeping eye contact. "I met with him today so he could take my stats and I met Gin there, that's all." Grimmjow thought his head may explode. He was so angry his vision was red, and he almost didn't feel it when he grabbed a wooden crate from the restaurant and threw it into the opposing wall over Ichigo's head. The sound of splintering and shattering seemed very far away, as did his own screaming voice.

"WHAT WERE YOU FUCKING THINKING?! I TOLD YOU TO STAY AWAY FROM HIM!"

"Do you expect me to just turn him down because you don't like him?" Ichigo's voice was raised too, his eyes determined although his shoulders were shaking. "Grimmjow he was your master, and I don't know if you two butted heads or what, but if you can't tell me why I should refuse him then I need to take this chance." The world suddenly felt to Grimmjow like it had turned on its head, his stomach lodged deep in his throat making him gasp like a fish on land. His mind was a tumultuous mess and he could only discern a single coherent thought amid the internal screaming.

_Run._

And he did. He stalked past Ichigo at just a quick walk. As he got farther away his speed increased, his legs moving at a fiery sprint by the time he saw the doors of his building. He opened the door to his apartment and destructed, flipping his small table and couch, cursing and yelling mindlessly. After a few minutes he found himself on the floor, the skin on his hands broken and bleeding from hitting the brick walls around him. He envisioned slender, tanned fingers cleaning his knuckles with care before wrapping them, red-brown doe eyes full of concern peering right into his soul.

Grimmjow was confused when he came back to his broken mess of an apartment and the small, scattered wet spots on his jeans and skin.


	12. Chapter 12

_It's been four days..._

Ichigo sat on his bed staring out at the darkened sky, rain cascading just past his open window. Renji, who was sitting backwards on his chair, was saying something to him that he couldn't quite make out. He sat despondently until his name was called with such ferocity that he had to look away from the monotony of the precipitation.

"What is it, Ren?"

"Ichigo you look fucked up," Renji replied, moving uncharacteristically to sit next to Ichigo on the bed. "Seriously, tell me what happened."

Ichigo turned to the window, feeling his chest tighten and his eyes burn. He didn't want to cry, and had been successful thus far. He focused on some far away point in the gray tempest as he spoke.

"I obviously made him really angry," Ichigo said, sounding almost hollow.

Renji put a hand on his shoulder, making Ichigo turn his head just enough that he could see his profile. Renji nodded.

"Call me when you're ready. I'll tell the girls to let you be for a bit." With that he stood up and left the room, leaving Ichigo in his solitude. A roll of thunder echoed from somewhere to the east.

_It's been four days._

* * *

"So its really been two weeks since you guys last talked?"

Rukia sat on Ichigo's desk, peering down at him with motherly concern. Renji sat in the seat in front of him quietly. Ichigo looked up.

"Yeah," he said quietly, now able to fake a smile. "I guess that's that, huh?"

Rukia looked at Renji, who shook his head, trying to tell her not to try and make it better, because she couldn't. He turned to his friend.

"You want to come beat the hell out of me after school? I could use a workout." Ichigo smiled, this one a little less pained.

"Sure."

Classes proceeded as normal, and afterwards Ichigo and Renji headed away from the school together.

"So you wanna go to the park?"

"No," Ichigo said, smirking at his friend, "the last time we sparred in the open the cops were called." Renji let out a peel of laughter.

"Right, so where to then?"

"There's only one gym that will let us in for free. C'mon." Ichigo traversed the familiar route to the affluent gym called Nnoise, opening the door for his dumbfounded friend and then searching out the sole proprietor. He soon saw his undeniably lanky form near the lounge.

"Nnoitra," he said as the two approached, giving a wave. The dark haired man turned around and looked at Ichigo with unconcealed shock.

"Lil' pumpkin, didn't think I'd see you here," he said, standing and coming over to meet him.

"Yeah well my friend here wants me to kick the shit out of him. Could we take a room?"

"'Course ya can," Nnoitra said with a solemn nod. He turned and led the two back and pointed to studio one.

"Hey Ren, go on in. I'll be there in a sec'."

Renji looked at his friend with concern, eyeing the large man behind him before nodding and going into the designated room. Ichigo turned to Nnoitra and bit his lip, gathering all his strength to speak.

"Have you heard from him? Is he okay?"

Nnoitra's eyes softened a bit and he clicked his tongue.

"Yeah pumpkin, blue's fine, just a selfish asshole. He ain't talkin' to me, but Nel called," he said, running a hand over the back of his neck. "Boy was that not a fun conversation." Ichigo chuckled a little, the two lapsing into silence before Nnoitra turned back to the door. He opened it a crack, but spoke over his shoulder before exiting.

"You know it ain't nothin' you did, Ichi. Blue's just got some weird shit goin' on. Has fer awhile. It ain't my business, but for the record, hes right about one thing, and that's Aizen."

"But what does that mean? What happened?"

"Sorry kid, but only Grimm can tell ya that. I sure hope he does soon."

Ichigo watched as Nnoitra left the hallway, and he turned himself and went into studio one. Renji was badly bruised by the time they left, but he was smiling; Ichigo felt better.

* * *

Grimmjow was on the couch when he heard a key turn in the lock of his apartment door. The intruder closed it quietly behind themselves before walking over the the couch and looking down at him.

"Nnoitra."

Grimmjow expected one, but had forgotten the sheer force of his friend's punches. The feeling of knuckles running across his jaw like a hammer took him back to their beginnings. He spit blood onto his floor and held his split lip, looking at his friend who held his right fist.

"He came to the gym today," Nnoitra said, an unstable mix of rage and sadness in his voice that made Grimmjow look away. "He came to spar with a friend, and you know he asked me? Not if you were rotting in hell, or if you had been run over by a bus like you damn near deserve. He asked me if I had heard from you, and if you were okay. That kid cares about you more than you do and you haven't fucking called him in what? Two weeks now?" Grimmjow just shook his head, still holding his jaw even though his pride was much more severely wounded.

"Jow, I know he's called. I know he's sent messages. He's that kind of kid. So don't play like you blew it and he's ignoring you. What is yer problem?"

"I don't know what to say," Grimmjow said to the floor.

Nnoitra turned around and walked out, throwing his copy of the key to the apartment he and Grimmjow had shared in the past on the floor as he went.

"Wanna be alone then I ain't gonna stop ya, blue."

He didn't have the heart to slam the door.

* * *

It had now been almost three weeks since he had heard from Grimmjow. He had done his very best to be apathetic, to cover up the wound with enough layers of gauze that he couldn't even tell he was bleeding anymore. There was life after just about anything, including love.

_If that's even what that was._

Walking upstairs after school he changed from his uniform and sat on his bed, taking a textbook from his bag and preparing to numb himself further with his education. Before he could get settled he heard his phone ring. He opened it without checking the display.

"Hello?"

"Ichigo, this is Aizen Sousuke." Ichigo felt his chest constrict a little but ignored it.

"Aizen-san, what can I do for you?"

"Well actually, I wanted to do something for you. A gentleman named Kariya Jin is going to be in town tomorrow and Saturday. He owns a fairly prominent MMA label, called Fracción, you may have heard of it. Anyway, he would like to meet you."

"Really," Ichigo said, trying to feel excited.

"Yes, perhaps you could meet he and I at his hotel tomorrow night around 8PM? Assuming you don't have previous plans with anyone." The end of his sentence sounded very close to mocking. Ichigo steeled himself.

"Yeah, sure, what's the address?" Ichigo scribbled the address of the hotel in the spine of his textbook before ending the call. He held the top of his left arm and stared out the window onto the roof as the sun moved below the edge of his world, unable to even turn on the light, much less consider the book in his lap.

* * *

It was Friday morning, and Grimmjow was drunk. He had been drunk often for the past few weeks, beer bottles spread around his apartment like leaves in autumn. It was now 9AM, and he had been drinking since about 8PM the previous night. He picked his head up off the back of the couch, trying to right the spinning world with heavy blinks. He got up and wobbled to the fridge, looking for another ale, and was disappointed to not see any. Wobbling back to the couch, he picked up his wallet, almost not noticing as something fell out of it and onto the floor. Not trusting himself to bend over, he sat back down on the couch before reaching out and taking the square and unfolding it twice.

It was a Polaroid of he and Ichigo.

One of the times he had went to Ichigo's house to pick him up, he had been led to the kitchen by his sister Yuzu to wait. The girl had scampered off and Ichigo had appeared a few moments later, Grimmjow standing as he came before him in the kitchen. Grimmjow had placed a hand on the shorter boy's shoulder and grinned, only diverting his attention when he heard a sharp clicking noise. Yuzu was peeking at him from the doorway holding an old-fashioned camera that was spitting out a piece of film. She padded over to the two standing there before handing the photo to Grimmjow, blushing, and running upstairs.

Grimmjow laid on the couch staring at the moment in time, and he felt like he was standing in that kitchen and watching himself. He stared and stared, like the harder he looked the closer he would be to him again. Soon the alcohol mixed with melancholy drifted him into an unconscious stupor.

* * *

By the time Grimmjow was awake again, it was dark outside. He stood up, ignoring the banging inside his skull, and went to the window, looking out like the lost time almost had physical substance in the form of the darkness and lighted signs. He moved slowly to his bedroom glancing at the clock as he went.

_ 7:53PM._

He entered his room and sat on his bed, taking his neglected phone from the nightstand. He flipped it open and saw a message from Ichigo. At first, the youth had tried to contact him several times, but as the days passed his communications dwindled. As of a week ago, he had not messaged him at all, and the sight of his name now made something in Grimmjow's stomach knot up. He opened it.

_I'm meeting Aizen and a client at 8PM tonight at Route Inn Ichinomiya. If there's anything I should know then you should tell me. I know it's stupid, but I miss you. _

The message was received at 5:38PM. Grimmjow saw the time was now 7:55PM. It occurred to him that it may already be to late. His brain was again left in a tumultuous frenzy of emotions and actions. He didn't know what to do, or maybe he didn't know what he would do if he didn't make it in time. He grabbed his coat and ran out to the street, hailing a taxi and praying to some mysterious deity that he hoped would have favor on him, if only tonight.

* * *

Ichigo stood in front of the well lit hotel, looking at the marble entryway from the sidewalk. He opened his phone and looked at the screen one more time, willing it to display a new message. But nothing happened, and he was only left to open the door to the lobby. He walked inside and looked around, trying to spot a familiar face. At this point, any would do.

"Ichigo."

At least he thought that any familiar face would suffice, but when he turned to the right and was greeted with Aizen he felt himself grow cold. He smiled anyway, trying to be polite.

"So where is Kariya-san," he asked, looking behind Aizen.

"He's in his room, his suite has a living area for you two to meet." Ichigo had assumed the meeting would be out in the open, and he felt uncomfortable with going to a private room. His eyebrows furrowed.

"Not to worry," Aizen said with a sugar-coated tone, placing an arm around Ichigo's shoulder and leading him to an elevator. "He's a bit of a private gentleman, and he said it would be more comfortable. It's certainly worth it to get what you want, isn't it?"

_Was this worth it, _Ichigo thought to himself, seeing blue eyes in his mind that burned like coals. All he did was nod.

The two exited on the fourth floor, moving down the hall and in front of room 409. Ichigo wasn't superstitious, but he shivered anyway. Aizen pulled a key card from his own pocket and opened the door in front of them, holding it for Ichigo. He walked in to the neat room and saw a tall man sitting in a chair before him. He had silvery hair that stood on end and eyes the color of raw meat. When he smiled, Ichigo saw his canines were filed to points.

"Kariya," Aizen said with his too-wide smile, "this is Kurosaki Ichigo." He's ready to pay his dues." The man nodded and smiled wider, gesturing at the door. Ichigo felt his heart rate increase slightly when Aizen bowed and left the room.

_ Paying my dues?_

Trying to remain calm Ichigo took a few steps toward the man known as Kariya and extended a hand, smiling as politely as possible.

"It's nice to meet you. I'm Ichigo." He watched as the larger man extended languidly and met his hand, shaking slowly. Just as Ichigo moved to release he felt the larger mans grip tighten and he yanked him forward until his face was a breath away.

"Aizen always brings the best," he growled, looking almost rabid. Before Ichigo could respond Kariya was on his feet, and he shoved him backwards with a surprising amount of force. He felt his hip crash painfully into a dark nightstand before he caught himself with his arms behind him on the bed. Kariya was moving towards him slowly, increasingly predatory.

"Hey, what is going o-"

Ichigo felt dry lips crash against his, painfully grinding his teeth into his own skin. Kariya bit his lip hard enough to draw blood before Ichigo pushed him away. The man responded by righting himself and backhanding Ichigo across the face hard enough to fill his eyes with stars and land him on the bed. He felt nauseous as he heard the older man speak, his voice sounding far away.

"I like it when you fight. This will be fun."

* * *

Grimmjow flew into the hotel, eyes bypassing the elevator in favor of the stairs. He threw himself up to the first floor, bursting through the door as he screamed.

"ICHIGO!"

He waited as patiently as his nerves would allow but received no response. He turned back to the stairwell, starting up to the second level.

_Hold on._


	13. Chapter 13

Ichigo felt blood running down the side of his face to his ear.

_Ring,_ he thought hazily, trying to work his body into submission. _He's wearing a ring..._

He felt something tug on the front of his body, his hips lifting for a moment at the force, before he felt cool air on his thighs. A rough hand grabbed at him through the thin fabric of his briefs, and his neurons snapped back into place, finally sending signals to his limbs.

"Stop," he yelled, voice breaking pitifully as he pushed the hand away. In response, a fist flew down from above, smashing into his jaw and returning him to a galaxy of far away lights. Then Kariya's hand was in his hair, and he was thrown to the floor, before a heavy shoe started pulverizing his rib cage, well aimed kicks leaving trails of red pain through Ichigo's midsection. He fought to stay conscious.

* * *

"Ichigo, can you hear me?!"

Grimmjow was on the second floor, running down the hall and listening for sounds of a struggle. He knew Ichigo would fight, just like he did. But sometimes it wasn't enough. He sprinted back to the stairwell, headed for the third floor.

* * *

"You really think you can stop me, kid?"

Ichigo felt something slither around his wrists and pull tight, his arms flung over his head. Then he felt the larger man crawl on top of him before a crushing force pressed on his windpipe. He felt a knife slip into the skin of his hip as his briefs were cut off him. He arched his back with as much force as he could muster, writhing in fear more than pain as he was strangled.

_Breathe...need...breathe._

* * *

"Ichigo," Grimmjow screamed, only growing more and more frantic. "Please, if you can hear me say something!"

He was met with only silence before he ascended the stairs to the fourth level.

* * *

Spots started to bloom in his vision like cherry blossoms as he fought against the hand on his throat. He felt something warm pressing against the inside of his thigh, and he felt tears leak from his eyes. He thrashed harder and harder but the man only put more weight on his neck.

_Ichigo._

The voice he heard was distorted and far away, making him think it was some fraction of himself that was trying to leave before the inevitable happened and he was violated and cast aside. But when he heard the voice, the hand on his throat lifted slightly, now only pushing hard enough to keep him on the ground. Blood poured into his ears as he coughed, trying to take in as much air as he could.

"Ichigo! Can you hear me?"

Even with the pounding in his head from the increased oxygen, Ichigo knew that voice was real, and it was not his own. He knew that voice.

"Grimm," he said, his voice cracking like hammered porcelain.

He felt the thickness of Kariya's hand against his mouth, preventing his weak sound from escaping.

"Ichigo!"

He knew this was his last chance. Opening his mouth as wide as Kariya's hand would allow, he sucked back, taking a finger into his mouth, before biting down with all the force his jaw could muster. He felt the calloused skin split and his teeth went through slimy tendons and gritty muscle, tasting copper that flowed through his mouth.

"You fucking cunt," Kariya screeched, pulling back the hand and cradling it. Ichigo saw him raise his other hand in a fist.

"Grimmjow!" He yelled with everything he could muster before the fist met the target of his cheekbone and his world grew blurry.

* * *

Grimmjow waited on the fourth floor, about to turn for the stairwell again when he heard a deep voice.

"You fucking cunt!" The voiced was muffled by the door it hid behind, but Grimmjow could tell it came from his left. He ran towards the voice, waiting again and hoping for something more.

"Grimmjow!"

That voice he knew, although it sounded broken beyond recognition, frantic and afraid.

_409._

He didn't hesitate before slamming his foot into the door near the jam, the resistance making his hip ache as it gave way only reluctantly. He stepped in the room and into the past simultaneously. He saw a large, middle aged man, pants down, hanging over Ichigo.

Or the boy Ichigo used to be, now reduced to a bloody, destroyed shell. Taking three swift steps, Grimmjow thew a kick into the mans chest, throwing him back into a dark nightstand. The man snarled in pain, and Grimmjow could see that he was bleeding heavily from his left hand. He heard Ichigo coughing behind him, small sounds like cries escaping his throat, and Grimmjow saw red.

He moved faster that light as he grabbed the silver hair of the demon before him and slammed his head back into the small but sturdy furniture. He then slung him to the floor parallel to Ichigo. He straddled the man and moved mindlessly. His fist hurt the first few times it made contact with his face, but after a while it just felt wet, the broken bones no longer resisting but choosing a knew configuration each time he struck.

Once his hand was soaked with blood, he reached into his back pocket, expertly flipping open his balisong that was long and sharp enough to be illegal to carry. He felt the weight in his hand, much different from his pocket knife, the familiar momentum of its opening like a tattoo on his reflexes from practicing the motion. He lined the blade up with the mans right ear. He had brought the knife for just this reason. He felt no hesitation.

"No."

The voice was small and it crackled static on an old TV. Grimmjow paused as he felt something touch his knee. He looked over and saw Ichigo, curled on his side with his long fingers grasping at his leg. He looked as desperate as he could be after being assaulted into unconsciousness.

"No," he said again, swallowing like he was eating glass.

"I want to," Grimmjow said, surprised at how low and distant his voice sounded. "I want him to die."

"But," Ichigo said, panting shallow and he breathed over broken ribs, "if you kill him...they'll take you...I'll be alone." Grimmjow felt his chest constrict as he watched the young boy struggle to speak, the visual only making him want to kill the now unconscious man that much more. But those small fingers grasping at his jeans and those red-brown doe eyes that pleaded with him made him curse and move the knife instead to Ichigo's wrists, cutting quickly through the necktie that bound him.

He moved over to him and tried to sit him up, his heart hurting when he saw how he pulled away from the contact reflexively. He cursed again before whipping out his phone.

"Nnoi," he said, voice leaking out his distress.

"Grimm what's wrong?"

"I need you to to drive over to the Route Inn at Ekimae. Come as fast as you can, okay? And park out front."

"Give me about ten blue."

Grimmjow touched his hand to Ichigo's face in a spot that looked less abused than the rest of him, watching as his eyes fluttered open.

"I know it's gonna hurt but I gotta pick you up," he said softly. "When this is over you can kick the shit out of me for hours to pay me back, okay?"

"I missed you," Ichigo said, smile showing his teeth pink with blood. Grimmjow's stomach curdled. After pulling up his jeans, he slipped his arms under Ichigo's shoulders and knees with all the gentleness he could muster before lifting him up. He heard the younger man gasp, his eyes flying open before rolling back into his head, unable to stay conscious when confronted with the pain. In a sad sense, Grimmjow felt relieved; this way they could get him to the hospital without him feeling every lurch and turn of Nnoitra's SUV.

He walked to the door, trying not to shake the abused body in his arms, looking back one last time at the man on the floor. He hoped it was Aizen who would find him this way. He walked out of the room quickly and went again to the stairwell, not wanting to attract attention from people who may share the elevator. He exited the stairs and moved quickly through the lobby, trying to avoid the staring patrons. As Grimmjow approached the glass doors, one swung open before him, his friend on the other side with a grave look.

"Jesus fuckin' Christ," he said, anger lacing his voice. "I told him he should listen to ya, even though yer an asshole, the poor pumpkin." Nnoitra walked over to his dark SUV and opened the back door, letting Grimmjow lay Ichigo inside with care. Grimmjow hopped into the passenger seat as Nnoitra started the engine, doing an illegal u-turn to head towards the hospital.

* * *

Grimmjow sat in the waiting room with his friend, waiting for some kind of news. His hands had been wrapped up by some bitch of a nurse who had tried to imply that he was the one who had hurt Ichigo. He had screamed at her for a good three minutes until she cried and left the room. Another, older nurse had came in afterwards and given him a gruff apology, finishing up the wrapping on his hands before escorting he and Nnoi to the waiting area.

He glanced at his clock, seeing that it was going on 11PM, and it occurred to him that Ichigo was a minor and his father and sisters were probably worried sick. He had taken Ichigo's phone off of him before carrying him into the ER, so he decided to do the right thing, regardless of the consequences. He stepped outside, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it before dialing the number attached to the name "Dad".

"ICHIGOOOOOOO~ what can your loving father do for you?"

"IS this Kurosaki Isshin-san?"

"Who is this," the voice on the other line responded, now laced with ice.

"My name is Grimmjow Jaegerjaques, I'm a friend of your son. He's been hurt and I wanted to notify you and his sisters." There was silence on the other line for several seconds.

"Which hospital?"

* * *

He waited for Ichigo's family in the lobby, hoping to intercept them and take them back to the family waiting area. He spotted Yuzu immediately, looking frantic with tears lining her sweet face. She was followed by Karin, looking worried but composed, and a man with dark hair who he believed was their father. Karin was the first to spot him. She walked over to him with determination, hopping onto the chair that he had been sitting in so she was face to face with him.

He was surprised at the force of the slap, having originated from such a small frame.

She removed herself from the chair just as Yuzu reached him, grabbing onto his leg and letting out fresh sobs.

"Grimmjow-kun," she said huffing and sniffling, and he dropped down to wrap his arms around her as she cried. He was surprised when Karin wrapped an arm around her shoulders and put the other hand on his arm, staying quiet but no longer enraged. He heard someone clear his throat and looked up to see Isshin standing there, looking confused at his daughters and worried about his son.

"I'm assuming you're Grimmjow?"

"Yessir," he said, trying to stand up only for Yuzu to grab him and cry harder. He settled for picking her up and holding her against his chest. "If you follow me I'll take you to the waiting room. Isshin simply nodded, looking tensely between Grimmjow and his daughter in his arms.

_Probably weird for some giant blue-haired dude you've never met to pick up your kid. _

Turning round and heading back, he rubbed an awkward hand on Yuzu's back, Karin still close by and Isshin behind them. They entered the waiting room and Nnoitra stood, looking uneasily at his friend.

"Uh, Grimm?"

"Nnoitra these are the Kurosaki's, Yuzu, Karin and Isshin-san. You guys this is Nnoitra, he's a friend. He helped me with Ichigo." Isshin simply gave a strong nod, staying silent and making Grimmjow want to run for the hills. He sat down, putting Yuzu in his lap and letter her rest against hi. Karin sat on his left and placed a hand on her twins back before leaning her head on Grimmjow's arm. Before he knew it the two girls were asleep, and Nnoitra was excusing himself to make a few calls. That left Grimmjow alone with Isshin.

"I'm interested to hear how you know my son," he said, eyes fixed on the ground and hands clasped tightly. Grimmjow swallowed over the softball in his esophagus.

"We both are interested in martial arts," he said slowly, trying to be believable. "We've sparred a few times together."

"I have a hard time believing my son would tell a sparring partner where he would be tonight and not his own father."

Grimmjow winced at the anger and hurt in his voice, knowing its something only another parent could sympathize with. He kept quiet until Isshin spoke again.

"So are you going to at least tell me what happened?"

"It's a kind of...convoluted story, sir," Grimmjow said hoping to avoid the conversation. Isshin looked at him fiercely, and Grimmjow thought he might strike him. But instead he softened into a look of despair and hung his head again. Grimmjow tried to rephrase.

"What I mean to say is there are some things a parent probably doesn't want to hear from some guy," Grimmjow said, watching as Isshin raised his head and looked at him with watery eyes. "Ichigo will tell you. He loves you guys, so I know he will."

Grimmjow turned his head as Isshin cried silently, trying to give him privacy while not disturbing the girls.

* * *

Aizen approached the door of the hotel room after not hearing from Kariya in quite some time. The man was a textbook sadist and he could often get carried away. Alas, he was so surprised at what he found behind the broken door that he raised a well-groomed eyebrow at the scene before him on the floor of the room.

There was only one individual in the room, and that was an unconscious Kariya who was looking akin to raw ground hamburger at the moment. His face was mostly unrecognizable. Aizen couldn't help but be surprised that Ichigo was able to do so much damage, being smaller than his attacker and also unsuspecting. But upon further inspection of the disarray, Aizen concluded this was not the case.

He noticed on the floor a pair of gray briefs, slit all the way from the waistband down. He knew if Kariya had gotten as far as undressing him, then Ichigo was bound at the least, and probably already severely injured. This meant that a third party had entered the room by force and beaten Kariya before taking the victim with them. And there was only one man who would know well enough to come looking for the boy in the first place. Aizen smiled his naturally oily grin.

"Grimmjow."


	14. Chapter 14

_ I can't breathe. It hurts. I thrash and try to break free but it hurts. I hear thudding and my lungs are screaming and world's all red with black spots and it hurts and I'm waiting to die but I'm not ready to die yet and it hurts._

_ It hurts it hurts it hurts ithurtsithurtsithurtshurtshurtshurtshurtshurtshurts._

"It hurts..."

"Ichigo-kun, are you awake? Can you open your eyes for me?"

Ichigo heard a mans voice now, not Kariya's or Aizen's or Renji's or Grimm's or his dad's. His eyes opened wide, taking in a deep breath and trying to sit up, terror overtaking him. But the pain told him "no", assaulting his ribs with such force that his eyes fluttered in head, rainbow spots twinkling like deadly stars. He felt a strong hand come to rest behind his shoulders, another gently pressing on his chest to ease him back to the bed. Once his eyes refocused he saw a middle-aged man in a white doctor's coat standing over him, looking concerned.

"Whoa there," he said, his voice quiet but assertive. "You gotta rest for a bit here, Ichigo-kun. You're pretty badly hurt. Do you know where you are?"

"Where's Grimmjow?" Ichigo heard a voice ask, but it was not his. It was broken and cracked like old pavement in a bad part of town. The doctor looked confused.

"Grimmjow? You must mean the man who brought you in," he said, nodding knowingly. "You can speak to him in a bit. First I have to make sure you're okay. Now, could you answer my question?"

"I'm in a hospital," the mangled voice replied.

"Can you tell me your name?"

"Kurosaki Ichigo."

"Very good," he mumbled, scribbling on a clipboard. "Can you tell me who the prime minister is right now?"

"Abe Shinzō."

"That's very good, Ichigo," he said standing and handing his chart to a nurse. "Looks like you're doing alright for the time being. We're going to keep an eye on you for a couple days, but you should be home soon enough."

"I want to see Grimmjow." By now Ichigo had grudgingly accepted that the wretched voice talking back to the doctor was his own. The doctor's eyebrows furrowed a bit as he spoke.

"In due time, however your family is here and I think they should see you first. I'll get them now."

Ichigo felt his stomach drop a bit, the guilt more overwhelming than he thought it could be.

_Oh god, dad...the girls...they must have been so worried. _

Soon after, Ichigo saw his father's face appear in the doorway, looking frantic and sober in a way that made his eyes tear a little. His eyes were rimmed red, as were Karin's, hand on Yuzu's shoulder as she sobbed.

"Hi, guys," Ichigo croaked out, trying to keep it together for his sisters. At once all three were at his side, Karin lifting herself up on his right and his father helping Yuzu up on the left. Karin just held his hand, but Yuzu out of reflex reached out and wrapped her arms around his midsection. He felt his eyes flutter in pain again at the weight on his ribs, tears spilling out over the sides, but he didn't have the heart to push her away. It was his father who lifted her off him gently.

"Ichigo," he said, voice wavering only slightly.

"So what's the damage?" Ichigo asked with a smile, trying to act as normal as possible. Isshin clenched his jaw tight and looked away.

"Please tell me what happened." Ichigo's insides clenched as the feeling of pressure on his throat ghosted through his brain. He faked a smile.

"I made a mistake, that's all, I'll be fine -"

"Ichigo!" His father yelled at him, pain wrapping around the syllables like fingers had on his windpipe.

"Would you shut up!" Ichigo was surprised when those words flew past him from his right.

"He just woke up, would you just leave it for now? Did it occur to you that maybe he can't talk about it yet? Or that maybe he doesn't want to say it front of us? Can't you just stand there and be happy he isn't dead," Karin said, her screams fading to a choked sob as she squeezed on Ichigo's hand. Yuzu started crying again. Ignoring the the feeling of saw blades tearing into his sides he sat up, wrapping an arm around each of his sisters and holding them gently against him.

"It's okay," he said, trying to keep his voice steady. "Everything will be fine. No need to get upset, dad was worried just like you. He's just doesn't know how to take it," Ichigo said, looking up at his father, "but we'll talk about everything when I'm not such a mess, ne?" Isshin moved closer to Ichigo before placing a gentle hand on his head.

"I don't know what I would have done..."

"I know." Ichigo saw his mother's strawberry blonde hair and crescent moon smile dance in some fuzzy memory, his guilt only increasing as a he was presented with the weight of his decisions. The girls were just toddlers when she was killed, and as such they didn't remember their father's tears. But Ichigo had many times walked in on him in the clinic, at the times when Isshin's pain forced the proud man to his knees as he cried silently. To see those broad, heavy shoulders shake was more painful than what he had endured tonight many times over.

They were interrupted as a voice from the doorway of his room cleared its throat, a young nurse standing there.

"I'm sorry, but Ichigo-kun needs to rest for now. You can see him again tomorrow during visiting hours."

They said their goodbyes, his dad having to pull Yuzu away from the bed and carry her out of the room. Ichigo laid back again, cringing at the white shards of pain that received in return, and closed his eyes. He was focused on the busy footsteps and muffled voices from the hallway, starting to give in to his drowsiness, when he heard voices close to his door. They were quiet but undeniably arguing. After a few seconds it stopped, and he opened his eyes.

"Ichigo."

There stood Grimmjow in the doorway, looking just about as bad as his father, albeit without the red eyes or tear stains. He walked over quietly until he was beside the bed, running his fingers gently through Ichigo's hair.

"Hey, you," Ichigo said, unable to stop himself from smiling even though it stretched his bruised jaw and broken lip. "Long time no see."

He could swear he saw Grimmjow wince at that, and Ichigo remembered he was ignored for close to a month before tonight. Grimmjow pulled a chair over and sat down, before running a hand over his face.

"I'm sor-"

Ichigo reached out and caught Grimmjow's hand as it fell towards his lap, causing him to meet Ichigo's eyes.

"Don't apologize. I didn't mean it like that. I'm just glad you're here now."

Grimmjow nodded, looking back down at the floor tiles. They were quiet for a time, before Grimmjow spoke again.

"I know you deserve an explanation," he said, looking back up at Ichigo, who's eyes were now closed. He slept peacefully, dreams untainted by images of his living nightmare.

* * *

Grimmjow couldn't help but smile when he looked up to find Ichigo sleeping. He stood as quietly as possible, returning the chair and leaving the room. The nurse who he had argued with glared at him at he left. He walked out of the waiting room and through the revolving door of the emergency entrance.

"Blue."

Grimmjow turned and was surprised to see Nnoitra, dragging heavily on a cigarette from where he sat on the curb. Grimmjow went over and sat down next him, lighting up himself.

"Didn't think you'd still be here."

"As if I'd leave," his friend scoffed. "Might not owe it to you, but I think yer lil' pumpkin deserves as much." They sat quietly for a while, watching smoke rings dissipate in the night air.

"You finally gonna tell 'im?"

"Bit too late for that," Grimmjow responded, head hung low.

"Ain't that the reason you should? Cause you knew what that rat bastard wanted but didn't tell 'im?" Grimmjow was quiet, wrestling with the remorse that had set in after the panic he felt at Ichigo's injury. Nnoitra spoke again, even quieter.

"If you ain't gonna tell him then I will. After all," he said, standing and stomping on the half-gone menthol, head tilted back to the sky, "it was my fault too. I shoulda stopped 'im."

"I never thought he would go as far as meeting him."

"Me either, but he did. We just oughta be glad you were there to stop him from bein'... stop things from goin' farther than they did."

Grimmjow felt his throat close as he imagined what would have happened if he had been only moments later. If he had not waited on the fourth floor just a little longer than the others, or if he hadn't woken up and gotten the message at the exact time he did.

"I'll tell him."

"Good," Nnoitra said, lighting another cigarette as Grimmjow stood up. The two headed over to his SUV and got in. "Now there's jus' one other thing we gotta worry about."

"What's that," Grimmjow said, watching as his friend smiled deviously.

"Which one of us is gonna haveta tell yer sister?"

They laughed.

* * *

It was three days later and Ichigo was in a wheelchair being pushed by a nurse, Yuzu in his lap chattering about something to do with school. Karin walked beside him, a lopsided grin on her face. As they reached the revolving door at the front, Ichigo stood and walked slowly forward, holding the girls' small hands. His father was waiting just outside, calling out to his mother with hands clasped and raving about "their strong son", back to his regular antics. He rushed forward and Karin smacked him, chastising his childish behavior as he cried. Ichigo couldn't help but smile.

He was about to get into his dad's truck when he spotted tufts of a beautiful blue in the distance, shifting gently in the wind. Grimmjow nodded his head, an uncharacteristic cigarette between his grinning lips, as he leaned against the dark SUV behind him. Ichigo couldn't help but recall Grimmjow leaning against iron bars and smiling at him like a ravenous wolf watching its prey, eyes half-lidded with mischief. Ichigo blushed as he felt blood heating in-between his hips and smiled back. He knew Grimmjow wouldn't come over, not now; he was just there so Ichigo would know that he was waiting.

"Onii-chan?" Yuzu's sweet face looked at him from below, concerned. He ruffled her hair and slid into the passenger's seat, trying his best not to let the still intense pain show through. The ride home was uneventful, and as they pulled up to the Kurosaki clinic Ichigo felt much more at ease than he had in the hospital.

All three of his family members assisted in getting him out of the truck and into the house, upstairs, and into bed. His father was still his weird and silly self, but he looked reluctant to leave the room, until Karin grabbed the back of his shirt and drug him to Ichigo's door, kicking him out quite literally. Ichigo heard his fathers wails continue as Karin shut the door and came back into the room, standing next to Yuzu at the side of his bed.

"Is there anything you need, Ichi-nii," Yuzu asked as she stood ringing her hands.

"No, I'm fine Yuzu." She nodded before she leaned forward and kissed his cheek and then walked towards the door, turning back when she noticed Karin was still by the bed.

"Whenever you're ready to talk," she said quietly, "you let us know."

Ichigo kissed her head of soft, dark hair.

"When things have settled down," he said, knowing he would need to time to decide how to address the issue. And more than that, to decide how to address Grimmjow. She nodded and leaned forward to kiss his cheek as her sister had, but Ichigo also felt her slip something hard and square into his hand. He looked at her questioningly before she turned to leave.

"I figured you'd want to call him." With that she jogged over to the door and the twins left quietly. Ichigo lifted the object that she had smuggled to him and saw it was his cell phone, somehow only scratched during the altercation. Karin must have collected it from his personal items to make sure he got it and Isshin didn't store it away with the excuse of Ichigo needing to focus on recovery.

He opened the phone and saw several messages and calls, many from Renji and Rukia, first from not hearing from him and then some after hearing from his family about what happened. Out of the thirteen calls and forty-eight messages, there was one that stood out immediately.

_You deserve answers. Whenever, if ever, you're ready, just call me._

_ P.S.: I'm sorry I'm a dick. I missed you too._

Ichigo smiled as his eyes flickered closed, medication thrusting him into a deep and unwanted sleep.

* * *

Aizen had been forced to give Kariya a full refund, plus a hefty sum as compensation for his injuries. He was going to have to have serious reconstructive surgery, the bones in his face so badly broken that simply setting them would not do. Aizen had forgotten just how brutal his once student could be.

He sat in his office, mentally surveying his options. The large loss of money was not favorable and had put him in a rather foul mood the past few days. However, he was faced with an unpleasant dilemma: he could not be sure that it would be profitable to try and reclaim his losses. Grimmjow had clearly staked his claim to the boy and was holding his ground in a previously unforeseen fashion.

This presented a handful of different outcomes to Aizen.

The first would be his own success. Before the incident with Kariya, Aizen said that success was assured; but it seemed even he could be wrong. The second outcome was Grimmjow and the boy fleeing, which was neither favorable or particularly damaging. The third was that Grimmjow would find a way to expose him, which would ultimately land him jail. This was certainly not preferable, but he could live with it if it occurred. The fourth, and truly troubling possibility, was that Grimmjow would kill him.

Quite the predicament he had landed himself in.

"What're ya gonna do, Aizen-san?"

He let his eyes glance lazily at Gin, who stood next to his desk. He smiled, watching as his subordinate cringed visibly at his change in expression.

"What indeed."


	15. Chapter 15

When Ichigo opened his eyes again it was night, his room dark and still around him. He watched the light of the moon on his bedroom floor, noticing it was so vivid that it had an almost blue hue to it. Sitting up while clutching his ribs, pain medication long gone, he turned to the window only to be met with a large silhouette sitting on his roof. Tousled blue hair shifted under the light, and Ichigo realized it was the reflection of this that cast the azure haze on his room.

Moving forward gently, he tried to open the window himself but the movement was met with resistant screams from his torso. He managed to get it cracked before Grimmjow whipped his head around, smiling and heading up the slope of the roof.

"Sorry," Ichigo whispered, brows furrowed in disappointment at his lack of strength. "It hurts to push it up." He watched as one of Grimmjow's large hands slipped under the pane and lifted with virtually no effort. Ichigo was surprised when he didn't seek entrance into the room; instead he sat back down in front of it, reaching out a hand to Ichigo's bruised lip. His fingers danced like cold fire on his skin.

"I know I shouldn't be here," he said, hand returning to the other side of the window an entire world away. "Not really sure why I am. You probably think I'm a stalker."

"Who would mind being stalked by you?"

Grimmjow looked at him a bit surprised before chuckling. Ichigo watched him, unsure, before clearing his throat gently.

"You gonna come in, or does my whole victim look turn you off too much?" Grimmjow didn't say anything at first, instead settling his eyes on a point in front of him and looking pensive. Ichigo waited.

"I didn't really think you'd want me come in."

"Why wouldn't I?"

"Because," he said, jaw set tightly so the words came out cramped and quiet. "This is my fault."

Ignoring the horrible razor-like pain shooting through his ribs as he moved forward, the cold air burning his skin as he went through the window, and the ache in his arms and they encircled the larger man's neck, Ichigo slipped outside and into Grimmjow's lap. He tasted blood as his lip opened again, but he didn't care. The blood, the aching, the broken bones, they were all worth the warm feeling of large hands on the small of his back and the spicy-sweet taste, like caramel and burning hardwood, from the man below him.

He didn't know why he felt this way. It probably wasn't normal, and it certainly wasn't healthy. But when he pulled away and looked into the waves in his eyes like never-ending sonnets and the wrinkles in his brow like the folds of gossamer fabric and his exhale of breath like a thousand slender violin strings played in perfect harmony, he didn't care.

If it was wrong to see the possibility of a higher power in someone else because in some fleeting moment they were just that perfect, than Ichigo would sin to his very death. If it was wrong to think the pain was just a little bit sweeter because it bound them, then Ichigo would twist himself impossibly until he was broken so badly he couldn't stand. It was sick, but it felt so good.

"That must have hurt," Grimmjow purred, pulling away so only atoms could fit in between their lips. Ichigo took one of his larger hands and pressed it against the cracked bones that ghosted beneath the skin of his side, gasping as he pushed on it gently.

"I don't mind," he said breathlessly, meeting the older man's blue eyes as they took him in. "As long as its you, I don't mind if it hurts. Weird, huh?"

He couldn't help but whimper when Grimmjow's tongue grazed his chin and lower lip, picking up the small trail of blood that hung there. He looked up almost feverishly.

"I want to come in now."

Ichigo scrambled as quickly as he could into his room, moving back towards his headboard as Grimmjow stalked over him. It was the older man who kissed first this time, but his pressure was gentle, and Ichigo didn't want gentle. He pressed back hard, his nails digging into the biceps on either side of him. Eventually, caution was thrown to the wind and his lip was bitten hard, blood seeping out from the crack there and into Grimmjow's mouth, the larger man stifling a growl that went straight to Ichigo's groin. Abandoning his lips Grimmjow moved lower, kissing his jaw and neck before sinking cruelly sharp teeth into his shoulder. After lapping at the spot a few times, he nosed Ichigo's chin up and bit down again, just under the hollow of his throat.

Ichigo thought he may pass out.

He felt fingers grasp the hem of his shirt, pausing long enough for Ichigo to grow impatient and take the shirt off himself, wiggling out of it without so much as sitting up. Grinning deviously, Grimmjow descended again, dragging his teeth down Ichigo's sternum before coming to rest at the trim of his briefs and glancing back up. By now Ichigo was impossibly hard, the soft sweatpants he wore harshly strained. Grimmjow smiled at him wider as he moved back up and took his waiting mouth again before grinding his hips down, Ichigo feeling that he was not alone.

The new friction was good, but not enough. He tried to press back, but lifting up hurt, so he settled for instead rolling Grimmjow's black shirt up his back, letting him pull away for only a moment to slip it over his head and off his arms. Ichigo reveled in the vision of the stunning landscape. He had seen his shirt lifted before, when they fought, but it was so much different actually off. Worlds apart. His eyes trailed down he noticed Grimmjow's bottom half was clothed in a fantastic pair of dark jeans. He spoke before he thought.

"God your ass looks fantastic in those."

What he said only dawned on him when the older man chuckled deeply and pressed his hips down again, moving his lips to Ichigo's ear.

"You're the dirtiest virgin I've ever met," he growled, breath hot along Ichigo's neck. He couldn't form a coherent response so he just moaned, hands roaming across the broad chest above him. Grimmjow kissed him again before moving his hands to Ichigo's hips, fingertips sliding just under the waistband of his sweats before stopping and pulling away.

"Are you sure this is okay," Grimmjow asked, meeting his eyes for only a second before Ichigo knotted a hand in his gorgeous blue hair and pulled him back to his mouth.

"Don't say anything to me that isn't explicitly sexual, yeah," Ichigo said as he panted, desperate for more. Grimmjow's lips dropped down to collarbone, kissing and sucking in between whispers.

"You're ridiculously sexy, you know that?"

Again finding himself unable to respond with words he whimpered behind his bitten lip. Finally, one of Grimmjow's hands slipped under the fabric of his pants and ran against him through the thin fabric of his underwear. Ichigo's reaction was immediate, his back arching up off the bed and he sucked in a breath. At the same time he was met with blinding pain, reminding him that he was still in shit shape. His broken gasp alerted the man above him.

"Shit," he grumbled, eyebrows furrowing. "We shouldn't be doing this."

But Ichigo would not be deterred. He latched his hand to Grimmjow's belt, pulling him down again.

"I told you I don't want to hear it if you're not talking dirty to me," he whispered as sensually as he could manage, hoping his previous display would be forgotten. When Grimmjow stayed still, he decided to go further. His fingers undid the belt above him with surprising swiftness.

"Please," he breathed softly, his unoccupied hand lacing into blue hair above him. "I need you."

"Goddammit you're making this difficult," he husked, sounding defeated. Before Ichigo could revel in the victory he felt a hand reach down and into his briefs, enveloping him in warmth. He threw his head back and let his jaw fall slack. When Grimmjow stroked him expertly, he thought he may go right there, but he kept himself from the edge by pushing himself up so he was sitting. Grimmjow gave him a confused look and let go, letting Ichigo push him back so he could climb in his lap.

Ichigo kissed him hard as he popped open the button on his jeans, pulling out his own hardened length and letting his fingers graze against the short and soft navy hair at his base. The larger man let out a soft groan before taking him in his hand again, stroking slowly. They moved in time with each other, pace gradually increasing. Ichigo felt that he was close, the muscles in his lower abdomen staring to constrict.

"Grimm, ah, I..." He felt lips ghost against his shoulder before moving up to his ear, breath coming faster than usual. With three words, Ichigo was sent into oblivion.

"Come for me."

Ichigo couldn't hear for a few seconds, his vision silvery. His muscles tensed so hard that his back ached. As he started to come down he felt teeth grind into his shoulder again and Grimmjow groaned one last time. Ichigo felt warm, metallic-smelling liquid pool under the older mans mouth, making him shiver again even though he was impossibly spent. They stayed that way for a few minutes before Grimmjow finally laid Ichigo down gently, wiping his hand and stomach clean after doing so for himself. He laid on his side, looking drowsy.

"Ichigo."

Trying to stay awake for a little longer, Ichigo turned his head and met the blue eyes watching him. He let his fingers lace in between Grimmjow's larger ones.

"What is it?"

"I can't stay."

"What," Ichigo said, stomach sinking deep with nausea. "Why not?"

"You're family will probably check in on you early," he said, looking down at Ichigo's fingers as he gripped them tighter. "Pretty sure your dad already wants to kick my ass, and finding me in bed with his son ain't gonna make things better."

Ichigo hadn't considered that his father might walk in on them, but it was entirely possible. He bit his lip.

"You're right," he said quietly, before wrapping the arm his hand held across his stomach and moving closer. "Can you stay with me 'till I fall asleep at least?" He felt Grimmjow press his lips to his temple before resting his chin on his head.

"You got it."

Ichigo let his eyes drift closed, breathing deeply and taking in Grimmjow's scent.

_He smells good._

Ichigo didn't think anything else before falling into dreamless sleep.

* * *

When he woke up again, there was light streaming in through the window. He shifted a few times before sitting up with his knees pulled to his chest. He lifted the pillow next to him and placed it on his knees, leaning his head against it. He could still smell Grimmjow's distinct scent mixed with his aftershave. He stayed that way for a time before finally getting up and heading to the shower. He leaned against the tile wall, still feeling spent. Afterwords he approached the mirror at got his first full look at his body in several days.

He looked like he'd been through a war. Huge patches of purple and blue with a greenish tinge laced his midsection where he'd been kicked, and he had bruising on his jaw along with his split lip, now even worse after last nights escapades.

Or better. It was a matter of perspective, really.

There was one mark that he was most interested in, and that was on his shoulder. There sat rows of even, deep teeth marks, bruised in a much more beautiful way than his rib cage. He touched the skin delicately before pushing down, relishing the soreness.

When he was done examining he got dressed and headed down to the kitchen where the rest of his family was waiting. Yuzu was finishing up breakfast while Karin and his father bantered about something. Once they saw him come down the remaining steps they were immediately focused. The attention was uncomfortable.

"Morning onii-chan," Yuzu bubbled before setting food down in front of him first before serving the others and herself.

"You sleep well," Karin mumbled, biting ravenously into a slice of toast.

"Yeah," Ichigo said, thinking back to his blissful post-climax rest. "I slept great. Good to be back in my own bed, you know?" She nodded from across the table, stuffing half of a fried egg into her mouth at once. They all ate and chattered, and Ichigo was relieved that he wasn't assaulted with questions. But as soon as Yuzu and Karin had moved to the sink to do dishes, Ichigo's father looked at him with unwelcome seriousness.

"So do you think you could give me at least a trifle of what happened to land you in the hospital?"

Ichigo nodded, taking a drink of coffee before looking up and remembering his rehearsed story.

"Its kind of weird, but basically this guy saw me sparring and he approached me saying he thought he might be able to get me signed as a fighter. Last Thursday he phoned me and told me this guy who owned an important MMA label wanted to meet. So I went there, but that's...not what they guy wanted." Isshin looked grave when he spoke again.

"Then what did he want?"

Ichigo felt his cheeks heat a bit as he looked away, unwilling to say it out loud. He heard his dad swear under his breath.

"I know," Ichigo said quietly. "I'm sorry."

"How did you end up getting the snot beat out of you if they weren't interested in your fighting skills?"

Ichigo blushed again, but decided it was better to not avoid the question so they would only have to have this awkward dialogue once.

"The guy was...a sadist, I guess," Ichigo said, touching his ribs unconsciously. "He blindsided me. I fought back but that was what he wanted. He had to hurt me to...you know..." He trailed off as his father's face fell. They were quiet for another few moments before the dreaded question was posed.

"What does this have to do with that blue-haired guy?"

Ichigo swallowed, trying to stay as casual as possible.

"Well he's my sparring partner, like the girls told you. When I told him about the guy he said he had heard from friends that he was a crook, but I'm stupid so I didn't listen. I told him about the appointment before I went and he said that he just had a bad feeling about it so he went looking for me. And he...found me."

"Found you?"

"Yeah," Ichigo said, ignoring the subtle crack in his voice. "He got the room number at the desk and when he went up there and heard me struggling so he kicked in the door and took me to the hospital."

Isshin was silent for awhile, chin resting on his hands clasped in front of him. Ichigo almost thought that he didn't believe him, but instead he looked up with conviction.

"The man who did this should be in jail. Do you know his name?"

Ichigo couldn't stop himself from smiling, unable to hide it even though his father was incredibly serious.

"It's fine dad, I don't think that's necessary."

"What do you mean," he said, raising his voice and looking shocked. "What if he does this to someone else?"

Ichigo stood up and took his mug to the sink, handing it to Yuzu before turning back to his father who looked stricken.

"After Grimmjow was done with him he looked twice as bad as I did. I doubt he'll be out of the hospital any time soon."

Isshin watched him bewildered as he went back to the sink and kissed his sisters before heading over to the stairs.

"Oh yeah, I promised Renji he could come over today since he keeps texting me like he's about to die. He'll probably be over in the afternoon." With that Ichigo made his way up the stairs, albeit slower than usual, still smiling to himself.


	16. Chapter 16

The night sky had a fuzzy black hue to it, neon signs and streetlamps polluting the sacred darkness. Grimmjow walked slowly through the streets of Karakura towards home in the early morning quiet. He sighed, eyes drooped low in a mix of guilt, satisfaction, and sleeplessness.

_I really should not have done that. _

He finally reached his apartment, trudging up the stairs and swinging wide the door before promptly flopping into bed. He wrapped a large arm across his eyes. It had been a long time since he had enjoyed someone touching him. Typically sex was more of a power struggle, the act of asserting his own dominance, and it always left him apathetic. But with Ichigo, he didn't feel the need to be forcibly masculine or to be in constant and complete control. And afterwords he felt anything but apathetic.

Although he felt a little guilty for the timing, he also felt good. And in some weird twist of fate, as he was looking at the smaller, sleepy figure that rested in his embrace, he felt protective. That had never been something he associated with sex before. The attachment he felt was uncomfortable, and if he was honest it was scary as fuck, too. But it wasn't bad. He conjured the memory of Ichigo under him, whispering desperately.

_It's weird, but I could get used to it._

Then he recalled the sight of Ichigo sleeping next to him, remembering the bruises that trailed down his body and the shallowness of his breath as his body tried to avoid moving his broken ribs.

_But I still owe him an explanation._

He rolled over and buried his face in a pillow, irritated that it wasn't soft orange hair instead.

* * *

"Ichigo!"

"Hey, Ren."

Ichigo's best friend stood shocked in the doorway of his room, looking almost like he had solidified into stone. Finally breaking out of the trance, he shut the door and moved to the bed, plopping down heavily and shaking Ichigo's ribs a little to hard, making him wince.

"Shit dude, I'm sorry," he said, pulling his legs up much more gingerly to avoid moving the mattress. Ichigo shook his head.

"Don't worry about it, I'm just a mess. Want to see the damage?"

Renji nodded so he stood and gently lifted his shirt over his head, receiving an impressed whistle from behind him as he turned and displayed the green and blue bruises.

"Jesus," he said, voice low as he looked him over. Suddenly, his eyes narrowed and he stood up and came closer, putting his hand on Ichigo's shoulder.

"What is this?"

"Uh," Ichigo said, paling as he remembered what was in that spot. "The guy bit me, what a creep, huh?" His friend just rolled his eyes and sat down on the bed again.

"Haven't you learned by now that you can't fucking lie to me? You're shitty at it to begin with." Ichigo hung his head, knowing he was caught.

"Well," Renji said expectantly, "where did you get that?"

"Grimmjow," Ichigo muttered as he sat back down, trying to ignore his friend's incredulous face.

"So you finally decided to let him fuck you and its after you've been beaten like a good steak?"

"Dammit Renji, we didn't actually fuck." Ichigo almost felt sad to admit it.

"Well it must have been some pretty serious fooling around for him to bite you like that." Ichigo was quiet for a time before deciding to be honest in an attempt to end the conversation.

"He bit me when he came. We were trying to be quiet."

"Jesus Ichigo you're typically pretty shy about this stuff."

"Yeah well you're just going to pester the hell out of me if I don't tell you and I'm too tired to deal with your shit." Renji grinned widely at his friend, and Ichigo was forced to forget his faked irritation.

"Well you aren't the only one gettin' it," Renji said, looking a bit smug.

"You're always fucking someone new, what's different this time?"

"Well," Renji said, actually blushing a bit and looking away. "I'm not doing the fucking this time."

"I thought you always preferred to top," Ichigo said, surprised at his friend. Renji had always been tall and pretty well built, so he typically attracted more petite men. Ichigo had never known him to have a dominant partner.

"Yeah well, Byakuya is taller and older than me. Guy's a control freak too -"

"What?! You're sleeping with Rukia's brother?"

"Yeah," Renji said looking even more shy, rubbing he back of his neck. "I didn't even know he was gay before it happened."

"Well how the fuck did you find out?"

"I went over to hang at Ruk's when he was working one night because she isn't a fan of being alone in the house. She's a dweeb so she fell asleep pretty early. I left her room for a minute to get something from the kitchen and all of a sudden someone grabbed me by the hair and I felt something press into my back."

"So someone broke into the house?" Ichigo was a bit confused, Renji shaking his head.

"No, the opposite; Byakuya had gotten off of work and had just came in the door and apparently our wonderful friend didn't tell him I'd be there. He thought _I_ was someone breaking into the house. He still had his service weapon on him so he grabbed me when I passed the entryway going to the kitchen. Anyway I freaked and he realized it was me and he let go, but then he pushed me against a wall and started kissing me."

Renji's blush grew wider, and he laid back on Ichigo's bed with an arm over his eyes.

"So we we're kissing and then he had my jacket off and I kind of thought he was really fucking hot with a gun and he ended up doing me against the kitchen counter before taking me to his room."

"So," Ichigo said still trying to process the news, "he just randomly screwed you with no explanation and you let him?"

"Shut up," his friend groaned from under his arm. "He had his hair up and this tight shirt on and the gun and he's typically like a cold fucking shower and it was just hot to see him all wrecked. I don't know. He told me later that it was the adrenalin, but that he's always thought I was attractive."

"Are you guys gonna do it again, then? Do you want to be a thing or something?"

"I told you I don't know. Rukia would probably kill me, but...it was really hot."

Ichigo couldn't help but chuckle, his friend groaning and rolling around on the bed.

"Glad I won't be the only one getting fucked."

* * *

Renji stayed for another couple hours, leaving around dinner time. The meal with the family was uneventful, and he was quickly rushed back to bed when he tried to help clean up. Retreating back to his room, he pulled out his phone and after much debate finally dialed a number.

"Yeah?"

"Hi," he said, smiling at Grimmjow's sleepy voice. "I'm sorry, we're you asleep?"

"Nah, it's fine. How are you feeling?"

"Still sore, but it's no big deal."

"I don't like it when you hurt," Ichigo heard him grumble, thinking it incredibly sweet. They were quiet for a few seconds before he spoke again.

"We should probably talk. You deserve some answers. We should have done that last night in place of what did happen."

"I...just needed last night. I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize. I guess I just won't feel right until I tell you about it."

"When can I see you," Ichigo asked, knowing they shouldn't do it over the phone.

"I can be there in a couple hours, around midnight. Just promise me something."

"What's that?"

"Don't seduce me this time, okay?"

* * *

Grimmjow scaled the tree in front of the Kurosaki clinic just past 12AM, and was surprised to find Ichigo sitting on the roof in a thick, dark sweatshirt. The younger man smiled at him as he crested the gutters and lifted himself onto the roof, making his way over. He sat down next to him, stealing a kiss quickly before facing the street.

"So where do I start?"

"You don't have to tell me anything that you don't want to," Ichigo said, leaning on his shoulder. Grimmjow wrapped an arm around him and sighed.

"Well I guess I'll start with when I was a brat. Me and Nel never knew our father, and we don't remember our mother. Nel was a toddler when she died, and I was just an infant. So we grew up in group homes. Soon as I could walk I started getting into shit. The hair and the name did me no favors, and I wanted to make sure no one hurt Nel. I met Nnoi in the second home we were at. The three of us grew up in the system together and somehow managed to stay together." Grimmjow sighed again, thinking about the overcrowded warehouse-like buildings he called his childhood home.

"Like I said, I got into a lot of shit. I would fight anyone who looked at me, Nel or Nnoi the wrong way. In the beginning I got pretty banged up but eventually I learned to fight and I got pretty good. But the better I got the worse things were, and I was picked up by the cops a few times. It was one of those times I first saw Aizen. I was fightin' some cop and screaming at another kid and I saw him watching me from across the street. When they took me back to the group home, he was there. He said that me and Nnoi were good fighters and that he thought he could help us. And to a kid like me, with no home, no God, and no money, it sounded like a great fucking deal."

He felt his throat start to close, the anger seeping up like magma in the earth. Ichigo looked up at him when he was quiet for a while.

"He trained me for a bit. He actually worked with all three of us but he left Nelliel alone thank God. And then one day he said there were guys who wanted to meet us. We were like fifteen and stupid so we just went with it. He took us to this hotel and put us each in a room. Then this guy walks in...Nnoi told me the guy who came to his room was some tiny girly fuck who wanted to be beaten up or something. Nnoi kicked him in the balls and left. But the guy who came to my room was like the guy who hurt you."

Hit clenched his jaw as he recalled that room, the putrid carpet and claustrophobic walls and that man's disgusting smell mixed with that of his own blood.

"He beat the hell out me. And he did worse. But I managed to get away before he was done at least. I found Nnoi and we got the hell out of there. Nurse at the group home patched me up without a second fucking look. We found out from an older boy that Aizen did that to a lot of the kids at the homes. He'd pimp them out and give them drugs and cash and a lot of fucking promises. Ever since then he's been after me like a goddamn unscratched itch, trying to get me to do his bidding since I know what a bastard he is."

Grimmjow felt something wet on his arm, and looked down. Ichigo had his head hung over his forearm, clutching it close. He lifted the boy's chin up so he could see his face. He was confused at the trails of tears he saw on his cheeks, reflecting the moonlight.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

"I just feel like such an asshole," Ichigo replied, sniffing and wiping his face.

"What do you mean?"

"It was just so selfish of me to never consider that whatever happened between you an Aizen was so terrible and painful that you didn't want to talk about it with me. And then to say what I did and trivialize what you went through..." He shook his orange looks before looking up. "I'm sorry."

"Look, I didn't tell you this to make you feel bad. This was my fault," Grimmjow said, running his thumb under Ichigo's eye and wiping a tear away. "If I had just told you in the first place this wouldn't have happened. And now you're hurt because of me." He reached into his pocket and retrieved a pack of cigarettes and his lighter, taking one in his mouth and dragging deeply as he lit it.

"I just hope you don't hate me too much," he continued, looking down and the figure tucked under his arm. To his surprise, Ichigo looked up at him with wide eyes, nibbling on his bottom lip.

"What's wrong," Grimmjow asked quietly, blowing a lungful of smoke into the air.

"The way you hold your cigarette," Ichigo said softly, staring unabashedly at him. "I don't know why, but I love the way your hand looks when you hold it. That's probably weird, huh?"

Grimmjow knew that in that moment he wouldn't be able to say out loud how he felt. Instead, he stubbed out the cigarette and cupped Ichigo's face in his freed had, kissing him under the ridiculously bright moon. As Ichigo's fingers twined into his hair like vines and he wondered if this was what love felt like.


	17. Chapter 17

Two weeks after Ichigo's discharge from the hospital he was finally able to return to school. This in itself was not very exciting, however it was a condition for something very exciting. As long as Ichigo was attending classes, his father couldn't restrict him from going out on account of his injuries.

And that was terrific.

He was so giddy he could barely keep himself from running home his first Friday back. Renji and Rukia exchanged a knowing glance before the shorter one spoke.

"You seeing your boyfriend today," Rukia asked in a teasing tone. Ichigo rolled his eyes.

"He's not my boyfriend. But yes, I'm going out with him tonight."

"You sure you wouldn't rather just stay in," Renji said with a wide grin, arms crossed loosely behind his head as he walked.

"Get fucked," Ichigo grumbled, before looking back at his friend mischievously. "Oh I forgot, you already have. Has he screwed you again, or was it just a one and done?" Renji's eyes widened and he turned red, Rukia looking up him quizzically.

"Are you seeing someone new?" Rukia's question seemed so innocent that Ichigo had to hold in his laughter.

"It's not important," Renji stammered angrily, shooting a glare at Ichigo that could have killed a pigeon. Ichigo just shrugged and turned back around, walking with his hands behind his back. After a few moments of comfortable quiet, Rukia spoke again.

"So where are you two going?"

"No idea. I've asked him more than once but he won't tell me."

"Really," Rukia said, sounding doubtful. "A surprise? I didn't take your big convict friend for the romantic type."

"Sounds to me like someone's jealous," Renji sniffed. He was given a punch in return, Ichigo laughing as she yelled at him before waving her off and continuing home.

"Hate to admit it," Renji said as they came to rest in front of the Kurosaki clinic, "but I kind of agree with the midget. A surprise date seems pretty romantic for a guy you met in jail."

"I guess you're right," Ichigo said. He rubbed the back of his neck in thought. "I mean I wouldn't have really taken him as a doting partner either at first sight. But he's been different after what happened." Ichigo smiled and looked away, thinking of the older blue-haired man. "I'm glad I met him."

"You're really sentimental when it comes to this guy. Sometimes I wonder if you're _man_struating."

"You're such a prick. Is it wrong to feel good about someone liking me?"

"No, no, calm down. Its just that you were kind of a cold fish before. I haven't ever really seen to you give a shit about a relationship."

Ichigo shrugged, the small movement serving as an admission to his friend. It was true; in the past he had been less than thrilled at any romantic attention he got from others. He wasn't sure what to make of his transformation either, but he was slowly becoming more comfortable with the idea of being in a serious relationship. Grimmjow's intervention the night he went to Route Inn Ichinomiya was enough to convince Ichigo that he was not the only one who cared.

"Oh, by the way," Ichigo said, "apparently I'm going to be out late. So I'm gonna have to tell goat-face that I'm staying at your place. If he calls back me up or I'll kill you, okay?"

"I don't know," Renji said, dramatically rubbing his chin. "What happens if I don't?"

"Well for one, you'll die young. And two, Rukia is going to hear a wonderfully detailed account of how her older brother took you on their kitchen counter."

"Huh," Renji said, nodding with mock sincerity as he pretended to weigh his options. "Guess I'm gonna have to cover for you then."

"Good choice," Ichigo said with a smile as he turned around and walked to his front door, leaving Renji on the sidewalk. He waved over his shoulder as he went into his house, greeting his sisters before heading upstairs to the shower. Standing under the hot spray, he leaned his shoulder against the wall and bit his mostly-healed bottom lip.

_Where _is_ he taking me tonight?_

When Grimmjow had told him the previous Sunday that he was taking him somewhere he had been bubbling with excitement. But as the week rolled along he became almost frustrated because he couldn't get the older man to tell him where they were going. He had thrown out several guesses, like the movies, a concert, shopping, and several others, but each time Grimmjow just gave him a smug grin and shook his head. All he knew was that they were not going to somewhere in Karakura, and he wouldn't be home that night.

Sighing and turning off the tap, Ichigo got out of the shower and dried off, heading to his room with his towel around his waist. He went inside and pulled on his clothes for the night; a pair of comfortably tight khakis that just slightly bunched at his ankles, a light blue tee shirt, and a cream colored mohair pullover with a collar that fit him snugly. Stuffing a pair of drawstring sweatpants, a pair of jeans, and a jacket inside the bag, he slipped on a pair of boat shoes and headed for the stairs checking his watch as he went. Grimmjow had told him to meet him at Nagoya station no later than 6:15PM, and it was now 5:45PM. He would just make it.

As he descended the stairs he kept his steps light as possible, hoping to avoid unnecessary questioning. His sisters knew he would be out, but if his father was home he would undoubtedly interrogate him about his overnight adventure. He crept past the hallway and kitchen, just reaching the front door, when he heard a voice behind him.

"Ichigooo~."

Rolling his eyes and cursing internally, the orangette turned and followed his dad's voice to the kitchen. Karin was with friends, but Yuzu sat at the table with a book in her hands. She smiled as he approached.

"Ichigo," his father started before he could greet his sister, "where do you think you're off to tonight?"

"Well, you said as long as I was back at school I could spend time with my friends. So I'm going over to Ren's for the night."

Isshin glanced up from his newspaper and looked at Ichigo with uncomfortable scrutiny before his eyes returned to the page.

"Are you sure its a good idea? You should still be resting."

"Dad you did my follow up yourself and you said I was healing just fine. You even took the stitches out of that cut on my hip."

"When I take off the white coat, I'm not your doctor anymore. I'm your parent, and that's where I'm speaking from right now. Why don't you just take another weekend to rest and -"

"Keeping me in my bedroom won't keep bad things from happening. It will just drive me crazy. I'm only spending time with a friend, it's not like were going on a base jumping trip. Please, Dad?"

Isshin was quiet for a moment, face sullied with a deep scowl. He appraised Ichigo one last time before setting down the paper.

"Fine, go. But if I call, you better pick up. Got it?"

Ichigo smiled a gave his dad a fake salute before walking quickly to the door and heading towards the station, hoping he wouldn't be late.

* * *

Grimmjow scowled viciously as he craned his neck past the flood of people gawking at him and his hair, looking for his favorite brown doe-eyes and bright orange mop. He check his watch for the fifth time since he arrived at the station. Noticing in his peripheral that there was a young woman staring at him, he turned his head and looked her, to which she smiled and blushed. He snarled and fought back the urge to retch.

"Grimmjow!"

His ears perked up at the sound his name ringing through the swarm like bells, and he straightened up as he saw Ichigo walking towards him. Once they were close Ichigo slipped his arms under his own, wrapping around his larger torso like gentle vines on a tree. Grimmjow held him back, unable to push away a smile as he noticed the young woman from before blanch and look away. Ichigo finally pulled back, looking up at him with those chocolate-caramel eyes.

"I'm sorry I'm late, my dad caught me on the way out. It's good to see you," the smaller boy said with a smile. Grimmjow lifted his hand to his shoulder, his thumb tracing the bones underneath the taught skin there, putting each dip and bend and gentle angle to memory.

"No worries, our train leaves at 6:32PM. Just didn't want to have to fight for seats."

"I still wish you'd tell me where we're going," Ichigo said with an eyebrow raised.

"Well, when we get to the platform maybe you'll have an idea."

The younger man sighed and rolled his eyes a bit, although his smile stayed in place. Grimmjow flashed a few sharp teeth in a wide grin before taking Ichigo's hand and turning to head to their train. They reached the platform and boarded, Grimmjow leading the way to one of the small compartments that held two seats. As they settled in and he turned around, he saw a look of surprise on the face below him.

"We're going to Osaka?"

* * *

A little over an hour later, the bullet train came to halt at Osaka station. Ichigo felt Grimmjow squeeze his hand as he led him to yet another train, this one set for Naniwabashi. That ride lasted for only a few minutes, and before long the older man was leading Ichigo through a park.

Ichigo was confused; he knew Grimmjow was from Osaka but didn't know the relevance of where they were. They weaved along a path for a short time, passing a garden near the center of the park, before coming to a walkway with a beautiful view of the river. The lights of the buildings across from where they stood glimmered in wavering reflections on the dark water. Letting go of his hand, Grimmjow leaned down on the railing. They both stood together quietly for a time.

"The view is beautiful," Ichigo said cautiously. Grimmjow looked over at him and smiled a smile that made his stomach clench up and his brain stop functioning.

"Guess I should explain, huh," Grimmjow mumbled, turning away and pulling a cigarette out of his thin, wooden case. He took a drag before he spoke.

"After I graduated, I had a shitty temper and didn't know what I wanted to do, so I bounced around between a couple jobs. One of the jobs was working as a waiter at a cafe real close to this park.

One day I was waiting on this older woman, and she kept looking at me real weird. It pissed me off, and eventually I asked if she had some problem with me. Turns out she knew my birth mother. I said I never knew her and tried to brush it off but she insisted on talking to me. She stayed in the cafe for four hours waiting for my shift to be over."

Ichigo watched him run a hand through his unruly hair. He was quiet for so long that the anticipation became too much to handle.

"So what did she tell you?"

"Well, she told me that my mother's name was Shizuku and that when she was young, she would sit in this park and do people's portraits. This was before she got all fucked up on drugs. Me and Nel never knew her, but when I heard that she used to sit here and draw it was kind of like I did know her. She became a real person with dreams and talents instead of just some far away idea.

The lady said that she watched Shizuku for almost four years, and that she saw her less and less as things got bad. The last time she saw her, she was drawing a portrait of me and Nel in this park, crying. She overdosed like a week later and we were given to social services."

"I'm so sorry, Grimmjow," Ichigo said quietly. He knew the feeling of losing a parent, although the circumstances were much different. Grimmjow reached out a large hand and touched his face gently for a moment before withdrawing.

"I didn't tell ya to make you feel bad for me," he said as he breathed in on his cigarette. "It's just that's the reason we're here."

"I don't understand," Ichigo said with his brow furrowed.

"Well, since that woman told me all that about Shizuku, I've come to this park to spend time. I don't know why, because I don't really like doing it, but I kind of feel like I owe it to her, ya know? Like someone should remember her. So I come over here, to where she did the drawings and was happy, at least for awhile. Since I've moved I come here around this time each year even though its hard. But this year I figured I'd bring you, 'cause I guess I was hoping it would make it easier."

"Did it," Ichigo asked with his stomach in his throat. Grimmjow turned and smiled again.

"Yeah," he said stubbing out the cigarette and taking Ichigo's hand. "So how bout we get food before we go back? I'm fuckin' starving."

* * *

Ichigo nodded and they both headed in the direction of the station to eat before heading back to Karakura on the last train. The trip home was short and as they stood at Nagoya station, Ichigo wondered if he should go to Renji's or just go home. It was only 11:30PM.

"My place is this way, near the center of town. You ready to go?"

Ichigo looked into his bright blue eyes, anxiety and excitement spreading through him like fire through kindling.

_You mean he expected me to stay with him?_

"Oh, I don't want to impose on you or anything," Ichigo stuttered quickly. Even though Grimmjow had stayed at his place before in secret, it was somehow vastly different when the tables were turned. He watched the older man frown a bit.

"Is something wrong? Do you just want to go home instead?"

Ichigo saw the slightly crestfallen look behind Grimmjow's exterior and felt guilty for his reaction. He had no reason to be nervous; he had never been pushed or forced into anything he didn't want to do. It wasn't so much that he didn't want to be with the other man, because he did. _Really,_ he did. It was more that he was self-conscious of his own inexperience.

_But that's no reason to refuse and hurt him._

"I just don't want to be an inconvenience. But if you're sure it's okay, I'd really like to stay over." Ichigo felt his cheeks heat up as Grimmjow grinned fiercely before bending down and kissing him. He almost looked hungry as he pulled away.

"Well let's go then."


	18. Chapter 18

Okay, so hey guys! I've never really had a note at the beginning of a chapter like this but it's a special occasion. I checked my reviews the other day and I saw I had one from Patd06! Yes, I said Patd06! She is like my idol. After I read her fics my world was just not the same. I was so captivated by how beautiful and well done they were. Every piece I have read has been amazing. So I just wanted to give a shout out and say that I so, so appreciate the kind words and I aspire to be able to write like she does one day! I also want to thank everyone else who has read up to this point. You guys are fantastic and I can't tell you how much the support means to me. I hope you'll stick with me to the end (which is still TDB because I suck at planning a story). I love you guys.

kurokuun

* * *

Grimmjow led the way up the stairs of his building, listening to the softer echoes of his own footsteps as Ichigo followed him. He slipped the key into the lock and opened the door, holding it open for his smaller guest. As Ichigo walked past him with a smile he admired his figure, complemented by the sleek, soft sweater and khakis. They were a great choice of clothing, but Grimmjow wanted nothing more than to tear them off.

_Keep it together you fucking pervert, _he reprimanded himself.

He watched as Ichigo appraised the apartment, his eyes scanning the living room and raised kitchen, a soft smile spreading across his face as he spotted a few pictures of his sister and Nnoi. He finally turned back to Grimmjow, setting his bag next to the couch and slipping off his shoes.

"I really like your place," he said, running a hand through his orange hair in the most innocently sexy way Grimmjow could imagine. He didn't realize he was staring until Ichigo called his name.

"Grimmjow? You okay?"

"Yeah," he said, ignoring his impulses and turning his head away. "So you want me to take the couch?" He watched as Ichigo took his bottom lip into his mouth, looking pensive and alluring and God he wanted to touch him and have that lip in his own mouth and -

_Stop it._

But just as he got in control of his thoughts, Ichigo looked him in the eye, standing straight. He watched without so much as breathing as Ichigo slowly slipped his fingers under the hem of his pullover and lifted it over his head, revealing a well fitted tee shirt. Confused to say the least Grimmjow stood stock still, unsure of what to do. He knew what he _wanted_ to do, but he was still trying to keep control of his male instincts.

However he could only endure so much.

He watched again in awe as Ichigo slowly stepped back towards his bedroom to the right while lifting the hem of his tee shirt up a few inches. Grimmjow took a slow step towards him only to see him step back again, lifting his shirt to chest level. Grimmjow tried to swallow over the knot in his throat, fighting the urge to adjust his tightening jeans.

Ichigo tilted his head to the side slightly and smiled just enough to put him over the edge. Glancing to his left, he picked up the remote to his stereo and turned it on, Of Mice &amp; Men's rendition of Blame It blasting out of the speakers. Looking back, he saw Ichigo's smile widen, his eyes flickering between their normal red-brown and a bright amber color tinged with gold. Moving slowly and deliberately, he slipped his tee shirt over his head and dropped it on the floor, still walking backwards slowly.

Grimmjow followed, stalking him as he moved towards the bedroom and growing less and less concerned with not destroying him. He let his eyes wander across the tanned skin of his chest and shoulders, lean muscles underneath shivering slightly at the exposure. He moved back to Ichigo's eyes, now entirely gold and shining in defiance. It was almost like looking at a different person as his hand moved to his belt, taking another step back.

With deft movements he unlatched the belt before popping open the button on his khakis as he stepped back again to the doorway. Grimmjow's dark collared jacket discarded, he slipped off his own long sleeved shirt, dying to have his hands on the boy in front of him. He thought he would die when Ichigo's hand slid into his khakis and over his apparent hard on through his dark gray briefs, moaning quietly with his head tilted back and gold eyes still taunting him.

Still stepping back slowly, he ran a hand through his hair again and giggled, eyes closing for a moment as he touched himself through fabric again with a sigh. He opened his eyes again just as he hit the wall, smiling and raising one eyebrow so devilishly that Grimmjow wondered if he had been wrong before about him being chaste. But he didn't give a shit either way because the animal in him recognized that Ichigo couldn't move away anymore; he was cornered.

Crossing the distance between them in two large steps he smashed himself against the smaller body, their mouths warring. Without thinking, Grimmjow grabbed Ichigo's slender wrists in one large hand and held them over his head against the wall, eliciting another bubbling laugh from below. He felt Ichigo wrench his arms forward, taking them momentarily from the wall. But Grimmjow wasn't to be overpowered, and he pushed him back with a thud. Ichigo responded with a loud moan, his hips pushing forward to grind on him.

Grimmjow's free hand trailed to the small throat below him, thumb tilting his chin up for access. He ran his tongue along Ichigo's excited pulse before sinking his teeth into the skin there with light pressure, only to have him push up against his mouth with a whimper.

"Harder," he said breathlessly, making Grimmjow bite down until he tasted blood. Ichigo writhed and bucked his hips again, his khakis sliding down far enough that managed to kick them off. Letting his free hand trail down to the younger mans newly exposed thigh he traced the skin there with his fingers before dragging them up to his hip and holding him with a vice-like grip. He looked down into big, liquid gold eyes that taunted him as Ichigo smiled again with all the confidence of a pro, pushing up as far as he could with his hands still held against the wall.

"You can let me go," he whispered against Grimmjow's lips, each quiet syllable like a sin. "I'll be good."

Keeping the tight hold on Ichigo's hip, he let his right hand drop down to cup his smiling face as he kissed him again. He felt fingers twine in his hair and a tug on his waistband as his belt was undone and jeans opened. A hand pushed against the strained fabric covering his length and he breathed in sharply, but the pressure soon left him as Ichigo slipped his hands under his own waistband and slipped off his final piece of clothing. He then slung his arms around Grimmjow's neck, pushing up on his toes.

"Can you lift me," he asked more in challenge than in question, his eyes still dancing like flames. Kissing him again, Grimmjow put one strong arm around him and lifted up, Ichigo wrapping his long legs around his waist so he was held between him and the wall. Grimmjow was unable to think when Ichigo took his right hand into his mouth, saturating three of his fingers with saliva before letting go. He let his head lilt to the side, still biting his lip.

"You want to be in me, ne?"

Even Grimmjow had limits, and he was confused by the normally shy teenager's behavior. His brow furrowed.

"Ichigo are you sure? The first time is only once. I don't want to hurt you."

"I'm sure," he purred, eyes flashing back to brown for a moment. "I want you."

Kissing him again, he moved the hand to his entrance and pressed gently. He stopped just as his finger slid in, intent on letting him adjust. But immediately Ichigo groaned against his mouth and let his weight fall down, pressing his finger further. Goaded into continuing he slipped in a second, watching as Ichigo let his head drop back and mouth open, sweet sounds escaping him as he wriggled against the wall. Within seconds he was pushing against his hand again impatiently.

His face scrunched together as the third entered and Grimmjow twisted them, trying to prepare him as well as he could. As the orangette's motion increased he angled his hand to try and search for the spot that would send him flying. After about a minute he felt Ichigo tense around him, his back arching off the wall.

"Fuck," he moaned, "there. Again, please there."

Keeping in mind the angle, took his hand away and to his briefs and took his length out, worried at the lack of lubrication.

"Are you sure," he asked softly, still worried even after stretching him.

"Grimm, please. Fuck me."

He discarded his apprehension and lined himself up and pressed in a bit, knowing it would still hurt at first. He tried to wait but suddenly Ichigo shifted his weight and moved down on the wall and onto him. He cried out in what sounded like a mixture of pain and pleasure, voice cracking as his nails dug deep into Grimmjow's shoulders. He tried to steady his own voice as he spoke.

"Can I move?"

Ichigo nodded fiercely, burying his face in Grimmjow's neck. He gripped the slender hips in front of him and lifted gently before pulling back, trying to hit the spot he found earlier. Ichigo screamed and tensed again.

"Ah, God, again, fuck me harder," he spat quickly, words strung together with fever. Quickening the pace, he slammed into him over and over, Ichigo's cursing and screaming getting him close so quickly it was embarrassing. Feeling the tight, hot coil in his groin, he supported Ichigo with one arm and stroked him with the other. They continued for a few minutes until Ichigo was right on the edge. Grimmjow moved his lips to Ichigo's ear, his whisper strained.

"Come for me."

Within seconds Ichigo's body was locked up, back curved impossibly as he shivered. Grimmjow was close behind, hands clamping onto slender hips and cursing as he spilled inside him. He felt Ichigo start to relax and wrapped his arms around him before turning and laying him gently on the bed. He went and turned off the stereo before wiping off Ichigo's thighs and torso and pulling up the navy duvet, laying next to him as he breathed hard.

After a few moments he felt two slender arms twine around one of his own and he looked over. Deep brown eyes reflected by the window's nighttime light gleamed up at him and Ichigo smiled, looking like his normally shy self.

"That was...wow," he breathed, pressing his cheek onto the bicep he clung to.

"It was a bit unlike you," Grimmjow said, previous worry returning now that he had been sated. "I hope you weren't just trying to please me or something."

"I just...wanted to be with you. I'm sorry."

"You don't have to be sorry. I was just surprised. You're typically kind of shy, except when things get heated like that."

"Yeah," he said, still sounding embarrassed. "I don't where that came from, but it was because I wanted you. You just kind of make me crazy. In a good way."

Rolling onto his side, Grimmjow chuckled as he reached out and traced the lines of Ichigo's jaw, feeling his shy smile grow wider as he pressed a delicate hand against the back of his own. He ran his other hand down the soft skin of his chest and ribs, the feeling of his pulse and breath strong in his palm. Ichigo looked at him again sweetly as he took the hand that held his cheek, twining their fingers together.

As he looked at the hand he now held, Grimmjow tried to remember touching someone the way he touched Ichigo. He'd had sex many times, mostly meaningless chance encounters with people he didn't know or care about. But after all of those times, no matter the partner, he had never wanted to hold or be held by any of them. But laying next to the orange haired boy in his bed now, he wanted to stay close to him and feel how alive he was in the dark of the bedroom. He wanted to know him intimately instead of just sexually.

There was one other thing that Grimmjow thought about Ichigo that he had never thought about someone else, especially now as he laid quiet and vulnerable next to him.

"You're so beautiful."

Ichigo looked up at him with wide eyes, looking stunned. He couldn't help but smile at the expression before closing his eyes to sleep. But after a few seconds he felt Ichigo sit up in the bed quickly. Opening his eyes again he saw an almost pained look on the younger man's face.

"What's wrong?"

"I love you," he said hurriedly, almost recoiling in embarrassment as the words left his mouth. "I mean, I just...uh I'm sorry." He quickly turned his head away, chewing on his bottom lip with his brow furrowed. Grimmjow sat up next to him and titled his chin up, kissing him. Ichigo pulled away and looked unsure. Grimmjow wrapped an arm around his waist and smiled.

"I love you, too. Probably have since I first saw you. I've just never loved anyone before so I didn't know it 'till now."

Ichigo's eyes widened a bit before he moved closer and pressed against his chest. He pulled him closer with one tight embrace and rested his chin in soft, orange hair. They stayed like that for awhile before Grimmjow eased Ichigo to the bed and laid down against his back, hooking an arm around his stomach. Ichigo wrapped his own arms around it and pressed closer.

"I've never loved anyone either," Grimmjow heard him say softly.

"Really? You've never been with a peer or anything?"

"Sure I have. I've dated a few girls, just to kind of pretend I liked girls at all. They were nice, and I guess I cared for them in a way, but I didn't love them."

Grimmjow's chest tightened a little at the admission. He pressed his lips to Ichigo's neck and shoulder, feeling him shiver.

"Well, I'm afraid by tomorrow you're going to hate me," he said, imagining the inevitable aching pain that would bloom in Ichigo's hips when he tried to move tomorrow.

"Why would I hate you tomorrow," he asked, voice on the cusp of sleep. Grimmjow just laughed.

"You'll see."


	19. Chapter 19

_What an incredible oversight._

Leaning against the side of his black Porsche Panamera Executive, Aizen smiled at the whitewashed brick building. He watched as the third window from the left on the fourth floor lit up as the resident switched on his lights. It was the same apartment that said resident had lived in since he came to Karakura with his sister and childhood friend.

Aizen had decided to sit outside the property on just a whim; he assumed that Grimmjow was much too careful to have stayed in that building for all this time. But to his surprise, after just a matter of hours, he had spotted those obnoxiously blue locks weaving through the crowd, their owner headed straight for the door. What's more, he noticed a flash of orange as well, and sure enough Ichigo was wrapped against his side.

_It's almost to perfect,_ he mused silently before turning and tapping on his driver's window, signaling him to start the car. Aizen slid in the back seat and settled in as they merged into evening traffic. Picking up the phone nestled in the console, he dialed a number quickly and waited for a response.

"Yes, Aizen-sama," the voice on the other line trembled. Aizen relished the fear, baring a few perfect teeth in a languid smile.

"I need you to do a little research for me."

* * *

Ichigo woke up to the feeling of warm breath against his chest. Forcing his heavy eyes to open, he looked down to find Grimmjow's head against his shoulder, one strong arm strewn across his stomach.

_He must have moved in the middle of the night, _Ichigo thought with a smile. He felt the larger man's chest expand against his side as he watched him sleep. He liked to see his face so relaxed, his lips parted slightly and no furrow in his brow.

_He looks so much younger when he sleeps._

Ichigo gently lifted his arm and ran his fingers through Grimmjow's soft, thick hair. He repeated the motion for a few minutes before he felt his lover's breathing increase slightly and his arm tighten across his midsection. Still smiling, he watched as Grimmjow open one eye just wide enough to reveal a sliver of his cyan iris. He grumbled a bit before opening his eyes wider and surveying his surrounding space. When he recognized his position he sat up quickly, and Ichigo could swear he saw a dusting of pink across his high cheekbones.

"Uh, morning," he said quickly, sitting up and running a hand over the back of his neck.

"Good morning," Ichigo said, stifling a chuckle. He watched as Grimmjow stretched his arms over his head, the muscles in his back and shoulders flexing. He then crossed his legs and yawned, Ichigo noting that his tongue curled out of his mouth just slightly, reminding him not for the first time of a large cat. When he opened his eyes again, he looked down at Ichigo lazily.

"What is it?"

"Nothing," he said, trying for the first time to move and being hit with a wave of deep ache in his lower back. Notching the shift in his features, Grimmjow leaned forward quickly and wrapped an arm behind him, easing him back to the bed.

"Told you," he said with a guilty smile, laying back down to hold him.

"Told me what?"

"That you'd hate me in the morning."

Ichigo rolled onto his side, feeling the spike of pain again but relaxing against Grimmjow's body heat. He tilted his head up and nuzzled his jaw.

"I could never hate you," he said quietly, feeling the arms around him squeeze.

"I'm lucky for that," came the reply muffled in Ichigo's hair.

They laid together for a while until Ichigo couldn't keep from checking the clock and saw that it was already noon. Untangling himself from the arms around him he sat up and slipped on his sweatpants.

"I should probably get ready to go back," he said still facing the doorway. He felt the bed shift and arms encircle him before lips brushed the shell of his ear.

"Why so soon," Grimmjow whispered, the words sliding against his neck and making him shiver. He then trailed down, nipping his shoulder gently. Unable to abstain, Ichigo turned around and slid into the larger man's lap and kissing him. Strong hands rested on either side of his thighs, and he felt teeth press his bottom lip. He opened his mouth to let Grimmjow's tongue in, hands trailing down his strong chest. They pulled away, Ichigo panting as he watched the smile in the ocean eyes that met his.

_Shit._

"I guess I wouldn't mind a shower before I go," he said softly. Grimmjow grinned deviously before picking him up with ease and carrying him to the adjoining bathroom. The larger man set him down on the vanity before turning on the shower tap. Moving back he kissed him again, Ichigo feeling the faintest smile on his lips. He whimpered slightly as Grimmjow's hands gripped his hipbones, the larger man responding with a quiet growl.

The grip released as Grimmjow removed the sweatpants Ichigo had pulled on earlier, and Ichigo reached down to push the basketball shorts that hung low on his waist off. They both stepped out of their minimal clothing before slipping into the shower. Ichigo felt the cool tiles of the shower against his back and Grimmjow trapped him, growing more feverish by the minute. He pulled away just far enough to speak.

"You're probably way too sore, aren't you?"

"I can still walk," Ichigo said, feeling his inhibitions start to slip. "I'll figure something out." Whenever he was with Grimmjow, his normal self was forgotten and his instincts and lust became his only thought, like he was a different person. He had done things last night that would normally make him blush to just think about. But again, as Grimmjow ran his tongue down his neck, his only impulse was to seek more.

Moaning loudly, he arched his back off the wall as Grimmjow pressed a finger into him. The soreness blended perfectly with the sweetness, he wound his fingers into Grimmjow's wet locks.

"More," he breathed, his normal self still just conscious enough to tell him that he sounded like a whore.

_You are a whore, for him at least._

"Grimm, just fuck me."

Meeting his eyes, Grimmjow looked at him a bit nervously.

"If I do, it's going to really hurt."

"Please," he groaned, "its okay, just do it."

_We want it to hurt._

"Ichigo -"

"Don't make me beg," Ichigo breathed, leaning forward to kiss him, mind void of anything other than wanting the man in front of him.

When he felt the blunt heat enter him he cried out, tightening his legs around Grimmjow's waist. They were still for a while before he slowly started to move. Ichigo babbled nonsense, mind gone in the twisted realm between his pain and pleasure where they fused perfectly.

"Gri – ah, oh my fuck, I'm – shit right there, oh God, don't stop."

Release came quickly, and it was so intense that Ichigo couldn't hear the water of the shower for at least a minute. He felt Grimmjow spill inside him before easing him off the wall. They leaned together, trying to hold each other up and catch their breath.

After a few minutes Grimmjow moved a hand to his cheek and kissed him gently a few times, then moved his lips to Ichigo's ear.

"You're incredible, you know that?"

Ichigo felt his blush even under the hot water and he whimpered at the sound of his voice, feeling himself start to harden again. Still pressed against him, Grimmjow noticed and whispered in his ear, teasing him.

"We probably shouldn't, you told me you needed to get home..."

At those words Ichigo kissed him hard, tongue dancing against the other to try and override the taunting objection. Pulling away, the blue-haired man gave him a feral grin, eyes glazed over with lust.

"Well, if you insist."

* * *

It was almost 5PM by the time Ichigo set out towards home. He walked side by side with Grimmjow, who insisted on walking him home, relishing every moment together. When they finally arrived at the Kurosaki clinic, Ichigo made sure no one was outside or in the window before waving the larger man over and embracing him tightly.

"You'll see me again, you know," he purred softly from above. Ichigo nodded against him before pulling away and pushing up on his toes to reach Grimmjow's lips.

"Ichigo!"

Feeling his stomach turn itself inside out before crawling up to his uvula at the sound, the boy turned around and was face to face with his father, standing slack jawed in the doorway. He stepped away from Grimmjow, looking up at him quickly and seeing him looking equally as nauseous, his eyebrows furrowed in a deep scowl.

"Dad, I can explain -"

"Go to your room."

"Come on, please -"

"Ichigo I said go inside and go to your room."

Knowing there was nothing he could do but listen, he turned around and passed his father as he headed for the door.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"You told me to go inside," Ichigo said in confusion as he turned around.

"Not you. _You,_" Isshin said, nodding in front of him. Grimmjow turned back around, eyes a bit wider than before, looking between Isshin and Ichigo. Ichigo mouthed an apology before turning and going inside and trudging upstairs. As he passed the kitchen he heard Karin call out to him.

"Ichi, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, my life just ended. No big deal."

"Sit."

Grimmjow dropped down and sat on the stair of the clinic at Isshin's command.

_Oh shit._

Isshin sat down next to him, but was quiet. The unforgiving, tense silence extended for so long that Grimmjow thought his heart would explode. Just when he thought he'd try and make a break for it, Isshin spoke.

"So you're a sparring partner."

The anger in his voice had ebbed so he sounded more tired than anything, and Grimmjow couldn't help but cringe a little.

"That's all I was, for a while," he responded quietly.

"But not when you met me at the hospital."

"No," he said, scowl deepening. "When I found Ichigo in the hotel room, we hadn't talked for a few weeks. But I wouldn't have called myself his sparring partner."

Isshin sighed but was quiet. Out of new habit, Grimmjow pulled his slender wooden cigarette case from his pocket and lit one, dragging on it hard.

"For the record, I'm sorry," he said lamely after breathing out. He turned back enough to notice Isshin scowling at him.

"You're a smoker?"

"Uh, not really," Grimmjow said, rubbing the back of his neck. "I didn't used to be, at least. I used to only have a smoke like once a month. But then..." he trailed off, unsure of whether or not to tell the truth. He dragged again, and sighed.

"Well, one time when I smoked in front of Ichigo, he said he liked the way my hand looked when I was smoking. So I guess, I don't know -"

"He told you that?"

Grimmjow turned and saw the older man looking at him in shock, and he though he had made a mistake by telling him. But then, Isshin looked up to the sky and smiled.

"I don't know if Ichigo told you, but his mother, my wife, is no longer with us," he said, still smiling. Ichigo had told him his mother passed away when he was younger, so he just nodded.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly.

"She was murdered when he was about eight. He was there, but he doesn't remember what happened."

"He didn't tell me that," Grimmjow said, chest constricting a little.

"I loved my wife deeply. She was beautiful, intelligent, a wonderful mother, and stronger than anyone I have ever met. I met her at a bar when I was in med school. We talked, and then went outside, and at the time I smoked. I lit up, and she was real quiet. At first I thought she didn't like smokers, but she said she thought the way I held my cigarette was cool. It was the only time she ever complemented my looks."

Grimmjow watched him stand up and brush off his pants, still smiling at the sky, before turning back around and looking at him.

"I believe that my wife lives on in my children. So if Ichigo said that to you, then it must mean my Masaki thinks you're okay."

He didn't say anything else before turning and heading inside. But as he passed, and placed one hand on Grimmjow's shoulder and squeezed for only moment. Grimmjow stood as he closed the door before stepping back enough to see Ichigo's window from the street. As he expected, he saw him standing in the window looking down anxiously as he chewed on his bottom lip. When he noticed him, Ichigo pressed a hand to the glass, looking worried. Grimmjow smiled, and watched as the younger man smiled back.

After a few moments, he saw Ichigo's head turn around, looking at someone behind him. He flashed him a quick smile before leaving the window.

Grimmjow headed down the street towards home, not noticing the dark luxury import parked down the street from the Kurosaki clinic as he went.


	20. Chapter 20

Hey guys, I just wanted to let all you awesome followers know that even if my updates are sporadic, _I will under no circumstances abandon this fic._ I started a new job recently so my writing time has become limited, but I promise I will finish this story, if for no other reason than you guys who have been supporting me deserve it. Just try to be patient with me and keep the love you send in the reviews coming. You guys are the best.

\- kurokuun

* * *

"ICHIGOOOOOO!"

Crouching down as he watched his father fly over him and through the air, Ichigo rolled his eyes.

"What do you want, dad?"

Rubbing his cheek where it impacted the wall, Isshin smiled.

"My darling son, what are you getting all dressed up for?"

Ichigo was unable to hold back a smile, thinking of Grimmjow. This was a terrible mistake because Isshin noticed immediately.

"Ichigo! You're going out with your boyfriend? Masaki," he wailed to the ceiling, "our boy is growing up so fast! He even goes on dates now!"

"Jesus dad, would you stop? I need to get dressed," Ichigo responded, patience wearing thin.

"Would you like daddy to help?"

With that Ichigo could tolerate no more and he shoved his father out of his bedroom door amidst his ungodly wailing. Slamming the door behind him, he sighed. He really could use some help deciding what to wear, but not by his father. Checking the clock and seeing that time was short, he made a decision. He pulled on a pair of tight, distressed acid wash jeans and a dark gray tee shirt before shouldering on his peacoat. Reaching into his desk drawer, he grabbed his mothers wedding band and slipped the chain over his head, tucking it into the coat before jogging down the stairs.

"Nii-chan, dinner's going to be ready soon!"

"Sorry Yuzu," Ichigo said over his shoulder, slipping on combat boots in the foyer as he opened the door. "Dinner with Grimm tonight."

"Tell that big idiot we said hi," Karin called from the table as she toiled over algebra.

"Will do," he called back as he closed the door. Skipping down the front steps he headed towards the center of the city and Karakura's station, his destination Nagoya's Congress Center Event Hall. When Grimmjow told him he had gotten tickets to UFC Japan's Impact, he thought he might die. He took the short ride to Nagoya where he immediately started the search for vivid blue hovering above the crowd of commuters. He found it quickly.

"Grimmjow!"

When his target turned he was gifted with a heart-stopping smile and a brief kiss. The simple contact was enough to flush his cheeks.

"You ready," he asked, deep voice rumbling through his veins. Ichigo nodded before being led out of the station and down the street. Once they got close to the event center the crowd thickened, Ichigo trusting Grimmjow to lead the way. Finally they emerged at the entrance and relinquished their tickets before finding their seats.

"I still can't believe you got tickets for this," Ichigo said as he looked up at Grimmjow, who beamed with obvious pride.

"Where do you think I got them?"

"I don't know. Ticketmaster?"

"No," Grimmjow said, laughing loudly. "I got them from a certain someone who has personally coached a couple of these fighters; someone who I've known for a long time." Ichigo's brow furrowed in thought as he tried to guess. He felt stupid once he figured it out.

"Nnoitra! He used to coach?"

"Yep," Grimmjow nodded, thinking to himself. "He used to coach exclusively, but one time he was sparring with a student and he injured his knee pretty bad. He had to cut back some after that, so he opened the gym and now just coaches part time. He's one of the best though."

Ichigo nodded just as the lights dimmed and the announcer started up. The first two fighters made their entrance and took their places. Ichigo was riveted to the stage, watching with anticipation as the two men bounced, until his concentration was broken by a light from across the arena. He looked past the ring, trying to find the source, but gave up quickly and looked back to center stage.

Then, he saw it again; the silvery light danced across his vision, not like a camera flash but like the reflection of light off a mirror. Unable to ignore his own curiosity, he followed the angle back to its source and felt himself go cold.

He watched the light gleam off of a small, silver coin that the man rolled from one knuckle to the other, juggling it between the joints as he smiled too wide to be normal. His eyes were almost entirely closed, but as he met Ichigo's gaze they opened just a sliver, enough to see that his irises were a pale, chilling blue unlike Grimmjow's. His smile widened to reveal small, sharp teeth as he nodded once, the light of the hall making his silver hair appear to have an almost lilac tint to it. It was like looking into the face of a fox who had just stumbled upon its prey.

It surprised Ichigo how forceful the fear was that welled up inside him in the fraction of a second that he saw Ichimaru Gin standing only a few meters away, across the arena. He felt his rib bones start to ache as a shiver ran up his spine and his throat closed over. His heart started to beat even harder, and reflexively he blinked, like the motion would wipe the man away like a mirage.

When he opened his eyes again, Gin was gone.

Ichigo blinked twice more, the fear of not being able to find him much more severe than his mere presence. He scanned the sea of faces frantically, looking for the mirror-like flash in the crowd, but he saw only unsuspecting fans who were watching the ring. Ichigo had been positive that he had seen him. He stood up quickly, anxiety rising and breath coming faster each second.

The world went black and the smell of blood infected Ichigo's senses.

_"I like it when you fight. This will be fun."_

_ His hip hurts. His mouth is bloody, and someone is holding him down._

_"You really think you can stop me, kid?"_

_He looks up into raw, red eyes and is afraid. He knows what happens next._

_"Ichigo, can you hear me?"_

_Please, save me._

_ "Ichigo?"_

_ Don't let him touch me, please. Hurry._

"Ichigo?"

It was almost like being jerked awake as Ichigo felt a hand on his, squeezing with concern. He looked up into kind blue eyes as the memory faded back into the dark oblivion of his mind. Looking around, he realized that people were staring. He turned back to Grimmjow quickly.

"I'm sorry, but I need to get out of here."

* * *

"Ichigo?"

Grimmjow called out to him again, watching as his eyes cleared and he whipped around to face him, looking terrified.

Looking like he did that night.

Ichigo peered around him like he had been unaware that he was standing among the seated spectators, then he stepped into Grimmjow, hands clutching at his shirt like a child.

"I'm sorry, but I need to get out of here."

"Sure," Grimmjow said quietly, wrapping an arm around him before leading him out to the lobby and then outside. He sat him down on a bench and crouched down in front of him.

"What's going on with you?"

Ichigo looked at him, traces of fear still marring his face. But he simply shook his head, forcing a smile.

"It's nothing. I was just feeling sick is all. Needed some air."

Grimmjow could instantly tell he was lying, and he wasn't very good at it, either. During the time that they had spent together, Grimmjow had learned that Ichigo wasn't good at hiding his emotions, a trait that Grimmjow found to be very cute. In the time he had known him, he had seen him happy, embarrassed, shy, angry, sad, excited, turned on, frustrated, confused, scared, and more. But he had only seen him look that terrified when he found him in the hotel. He frowned.

"Ichigo, you can tell me anything. What's wrong?"

He watched his beautiful, red-brown eyes widen before he looked away, chewing on his lower lip. He looked back and opened his mouth, but didn't speak. Appearing almost pained, he let his head fall and looked at the ground. Slipping one hand under his chin, Grimmjow tilted his face up softly. Ichigo's eyes refused to meet his.

It made his chest hurt.

Sighing, he released his chin and stood up, seeing Ichigo looking up at him briefly as he turned his head. He felt hands grab at him again, Ichigo's arms wrapping around his waist before he looked up with another slightly more believable smile.

"Really, I'm fine," he said, twining together their fingers. "Let's go back."

Although he was still worried, he let the smaller man lead him back to their seats. He spent most of the time watching Ichigo instead of the matches. Slowly he seemed to relax as the night went on, but the guarded look in his eyes and his cautious movements persisted until they were on the train, headed back to Karakura.

By the time they finished eating Ichigo seemed to be back to normal, talking freely with genuine emotion. Leaving the restaurant, they walked leisurely to the Kurosaki clinic, standing outside once they arrived.

"Hey, you want to come in? I bet the girls would like to say hi," Ichigo asked excitedly.

"Alright," Grimmjow said, running a hand down Ichigo's arm, "but first I'd like to talk about earlier."

Ichigo's face contorted for a split second before resuming his sweet smile.

"I told you, I just wasn't feeling well. I'm fine," he whispered, standing on his toes to kiss him. Grimmjow placed a hand on his hip reflexively, and was surprised when he felt Ichigo flinch away from his touch. He pulled back immediately, concern growing even deeper.

"Ichigo-"

"Nii-chan! You brought Grimmjow-kun with you!"

The two men turned to the door to see Yuzu standing there, beaming at them in her pajamas. Grimmjow looked back to Ichigo, but he was already headed in the door, swooping down and hugging his sister.

"Grimmjow wanted to say hi to you," he cooed to the petite girl in his arms. She smiled brightly before running over to Grimmjow and wrapping her tiny hands around his.

"Grimmjow-kun, won't you come in and say hi to Karin too?" She was already tugging him inside the door when he looked at Ichigo almost pleadingly, scowl deepening. Ichigo just smiled and shrugged like he was oblivious, clearly happy to avoid the issue. Before he knew it, Grimmjow was at the table with coffee and Yuzu sitting on his knee telling him about a cat she saw that reminded her of him.

When Isshin came in from the clinic and made it clear that it was late enough, Grimmjow was led to the door by Ichigo, still playing the fool.

"Hey," Grimmjow said, trying to get his attention. Ichigo wrapped his arms around him.

"Yes," he replied sweetly.

"I want you to tell me what was going on earlier."

"I told you it was nothing," he said, stiffening a bit.

"Can't you see I'm worried about you?"

Ichigo was silent, squeezing harder and pressing his face into Grimmjow's neck. They stood that way for a few minutes, Grimmjow easing into the embrace and relaxing against his better judgment.

"I promise you," Ichigo said quietly as he looked up with his chocolate-caramel eyes, "I'm okay."

"Whatever it is," Grimmjow said softly into his orange hair, "you can tell me."

"I know," he responded quietly as he kissed him.

Knowing he couldn't to push the issue, Grimmjow released the smaller man and left for his own apartment. He lay awake, unable to sleep and watching his phone.

* * *

Closing the door behind Grimmjow, Ichigo sighed. He felt bad for worrying him but knew that the truth would only make things worse. He remembered how upset his lover had been at the mere mention of either Aizen or Gin; if he thought that either was following Ichigo he couldn't imagine what he would do.

_Or maybe its that I think I do know what he would do,_ Ichigo thought to himself, remembering how easily he had wielded a knife in the hotel that night. Shaking it from his mind he turned and walked upstairs towards his room. He had just reached the landing when he heard another door open.

"Ichi-nii?"

"Is everything okay Karin," Ichigo asked, turning around and walking over to her.

"Yeah, I just forgot to tell you that someone stopped by while you were out. They asked for you."

Ichigo frowned. He had no plans with Renji, Rukia, Chad, or Inoue, and he couldn't imagine anyone else who knew him well enough to drop by unannounced.

"Who was it?"

"I forgot to get his name," Karin said as she yawned. "But he said he was your friend. He looked kind of familiar."

Ichigo started to feel uneasy, the image of Ichimaru flashing back from earlier.

_You're overreacting,_ he thought to smiled again, trying to shake off the cold feeling in his stomach.

"Could you describe him to me?"

"Yeah," Karin nodded, " he was about as tall as you, and he had dark hair that came down on his forehead and light brown eyes. He had his hood up, which was a little weird. I think he came over once when you were younger."

Ichigo felt the cold feeling seep into his chest and down his limbs as he listened to her account. There was only one person who fit that description, and he was not a friend.

_Ichinose Maki._

Ichigo tried to stay calm and hide his racing pulse. Dread started to bloom inside him and was spreading like a virus. He had tried all night to convince himself that the sighting of Gin was just a trick of his mind, a manifestation of stress and the crowd. But somehow, knowing that Maki had been at his home, he knew that it was real. He focused on keeping his voice even as he spoke to his sister.

"What did he say he needed?"

"He just said he wanted to leave you a message. He said that some of your friends wanted to say hi, or something like that...I'm really tired, I can't remember."

"Could you try to remember, Karin? I think it's important," Ichigo said, fighting his closing throat.

Her dark eyebrows narrowed as she thought. She stifled another yawn before her eyes lit up with recognition.

"Yeah, now I remember what he said," she nodded. "He said that Jin says hi, and that he and Sousuke would see you soon."


	21. Chapter 21

Hello, fic-ers. I bid you good evening. I just wanted to apologize for how long it's taken me to update this. I promise you I really am trying so please have mercy and stick with me. Also, please leave me your wisdom in the reviews; feedback is one thing that really helps me keep it up. You guys are the best.

kurokuun

* * *

"Ichigo? Dude, are you even listening?"

Jerking his head back in the direction of his friend, Ichigo's mind cleared enough to focus on reality, if for only a moment. Renji sat across from him at a booth in a dimly lit cafe, staring at him with uncommon concern, his standard jovial attitude forgotten.

"I'm sorry, what were you saying," Ichigo mumbled, taking a drink of tea.

"I was talking about fucking Rukia's brother, but obviously that must be boring for you."

"No it's not, I'm just tired. So you guys did it again?"

"Yeah," Renji sighed, "that's what I said. Last night I got an anonymous text from some third party application and all it gave was an address. I went to the address and it turned out to be this really nice hotel. I walked in and a receptionist walks over to me, hands me a key card, and tells me a room number. I go up to the room and he's just standing there."

"So you just went to an address that was sent to your phone without knowing who you were meeting or anything?" I shouldn't be surprised, but I am," Ichigo said, shaking his head.

"Shut up," Renji said, flashing a wolfish smile although his slightly pink cheeks betrayed him. "Anyway, I walk in and shut the door, and he doesn't even turn around, all he says is, 'after this, you and I are going to have a talk about safety'. And then we went at it until around 3am."

"You sound proud of yourself," Ichigo sneered, sipping his tea again. He, Renji, and Rukia had planned to meet there to hang out earlier in the week. A few hours before they were supposed to be there, Renji insisted Ichigo meet him early, but was unwilling to tell him why. Ichigo rolled his eyes again.

"That's what I get for thinking you might actually want to have an adult conversation with me."

"Harsh, Ichi-"

"Ichigo!"

At the sound of his name Ichigo jumped in his seat, his anxiety that had built up over the past two days rearing its ugly head. His heart beat wildly and his breathing increased before his mind could recognize the voice calling to him as Rukia's. He tried to force a smile as she approached, pretending nothing had happened, but her deep scowl told him she was not oblivious to his reaction. Looking over to Renji, Ichigo saw she was not the only one.

"Hey, Ruk," he said, trying to cover up the pathetic crack in his voice. "Long time no see, huh?"

"What the hell was that, Ichigo," she asked as she slid into the booth next to Renji.

"It's nothing," he said, trying to laugh it away. "I'm just tired and it has me edgy is all."

"Bullshit," Renji growled at him. Ichigo looked over and was surprised at the anger written plainly on his best friends face. "Ichigo, tell me what happened. Now."

Sighing, Ichigo chewed his bottom lip in thought. He didn't want to share the burden he faced with anyone, most of all the people he cared about. After Karin had given him the message left by Ichinose, he had been so terrified that he had a panic attack, his chest constricting so tight he couldn't breathe. Of course, he had suffered this in the privacy of his own room so his family was none the wiser.

But although he didn't want to tell anyone about the message, or seeing Gin, he was at a total loss of what to do. He didn't want to go to the police and have to explain everything, including reliving the incident in the hotel. He most certainly didn't want to tell his father; this whole thing was Ichigo's doing and he didn't want his father to be caught up in the mess. Most of all he refused to tell Grimmjow, if for no other reason than he had gotten a glimpse of what he was capable of.

"Ichigo, we're your friends. We may not be able to help with whatever has happened but we will always listen. We love you like family, and you can trust us," Rukia said softly, easing out of the opposite side of the booth before sitting next to Ichigo, pulling him out of his thought. She placed one warm, gentle hand on his arm and looked at him expectantly.

"Rukia," Ichigo mumbled at his feet, avoiding her gaze. She had always been able to say just the right thing to make him want to pour his heart out to her. Usually it was just frustration about school or family or something trivial, but now that his secret had the potential to bring harm to those around him he felt selfish for wanting to share it. He bit his lip.

"Are you afraid that telling us will cause trouble," Renji said quietly from across the table. Feeling anxiety bloom in his stomach at the eerily correct assumption, Ichigo looked at him quickly and nodded.

"I'm really okay, and I don't want to bother you guys with anything."

"This isn't like you," Renji said, face now set in a deep scowl.

"Pineapple head is right," Rukia chimed in from his left.

"You need to tell us what's going on," Renji continued. "Or you need to tell someone. If you can't talk about it with us, then talk to Grimmjow."

"I can't," Ichigo said quickly, mind flashing back to the sleek, black-handled balisong knife in his lovers hand, aimed for Kariya's temporal lobe. He shivered.

"Why not?"

"I just can't," he hissed, his eyes starting to burn slightly as he tried to reel in his emotions. In his peripheral he saw his friends exchange a look, Renji's scowl growing even deeper.

"Then you need to tell us. Now."

Ichigo felt his chest strain once more, and became fearful that if he didn't do something he would face another panic attack. His breathing increased steadily, eyes unfocused.

_It hurts. I can't breathe. God, don't let him do that to me. Please don't let him-_

"_I like it when you fight."_

"Ichigo."

Coming back to the present, he whipped his head up to meet Renji's hard but kind eyes in place of the eyes the color of raw meat.

"I'm scared, Ren," he whispered, voice distant and cracked. His friend stiffened and reached across the table, taking his forearm in a strong grip.

"What are you afraid of," he asked softly, face twisted in a mix of unbridled anger and hurt.

"I told you how that guy, Kariya, beat the shit out of me."

"Yeah," Renji responded, eyes narrowing. Ichigo swallowed over the softball of anxiety in his esophagus.

"He tried to do other things, too," Ichigo cringed, the ghost of sharp pain slithering across his hip where his briefs had been cut off him. "The cut on my hip, he had - he cut off my...he almost did it." Ichigo watched as his friend's face grew pale and was racked with pain, like he himself had been in the room. He cursed under his breath before looking back up.

"Ichi if you're having trouble just tell your dad you want to talk to a counselor or something -"

"No," Ichigo barked with surprising force, enough to make Rukia flinch by his side. He shook his head forcefully. "That's not it. I was okay, at least most of the time. I thought it was over, you know? But then the other night..."

"What? Was it a dream? Did Grimmjow do something? Holy shit, did he force you?" Renji's voice raised as he continued. Shaking his head even more violently, Ichigo responded quickly.

"He would never do that. I'm not afraid when I'm with him. But when we went to Impact at Nagoya, I was looking across the stands and I saw Aizen's assistant there, Gin. He was looking right at me, but in a blink he was gone. I thought it was all in my head, but when I came home, Karin told me that Ichinose Maki had stopped at our house and told her to give me a message: "Jin says hi, and me and Sousuke will see you soon." The guys full name was Kariya Jin, and Sousuke is Aizen's first name."

Renji's face grew even paler and his grip on Ichigo's arm grew uncomfortably tight. He heard Rukia gasp next to him. His friends were silent for some time before Rukia broke the silence.

"Ichigo this sounds really serious. Why can't you talk about this with Grimmjow? More to the point why haven't you told the police?"

"In the hotel," Ichigo shuddered, clutching his left arm to his abdomen, "Grimm was really angry. He threw the guy off me, obviously, but then he started hitting him. He hit him so many times that his face was covered in blood and all the bones were broken. And then he took out a knife. He was going to kill him. He would have if I wouldn't have stopped him. If he finds out that they are fucking with me, that Aizen threatened me...I don't think I can stop him a second time, Ruk."

His two friends exchanged a look as the severity of the situation dawned on them.

"Ichigo you need to tell someone," Renji said firmly, eyebrows knit together in worry.

"I just did," Ichigo said as he coughed out a dry, humorless laugh. "This was all my fault and I don't want anyone else to be involved."

"Well that's not fucking good enough!" Renji growled. He was about to continue when Rukia held up a small hand. She then placed both of them around Ichigo's, holding them softly in her grip as she met his eyes and looked searchingly. The intimacy made Ichigo uncomfortable, and he was about to turn his head when she spoke.

"I will not, at the risk of alienating you from us, force you to talk to the police or anyone else. When we told you to tell us what was bothering you we said you could trust us and I won't fall short on that promise. But," she said, eyes growing stern with determination, "you need to make us a promise here and now."

"What is that," Ichigo said, tensing at the thought of her request.

"You need to promise us two things: one, you will put my brother's number on speed dial. He didn't become captain of the Nagoya precinct at the age of 31 because he is incompetent. If anything else happens, or if you are threatened again, you will call him immediately and talk to him. Two, you will not from this point forward go anywhere alone. If you can't do that then I will be forced to get involved on behalf of your own well-being. Can you do that?"

"Yes," Ichigo nodded, looking between his two friends. "I promise you both."

* * *

"Said he'd be here soon, Aizen-san."

"Thank you, Ichimaru. You know how dreadfully impatient I can get."

Standing in an alleyway near the center of the maze of Karakura's back roads, like a single darkened corner of the earth where there was no light or life, Aizen waited. This particular spot was virtually impossible to find, housing nothing more than an abandoned shack made of corrugated steel roofing tinged with rust, and leading to nowhere that any sensible person wanted to be.

That's exactly why he had chosen it for his meeting place.

Suddenly they heard a set of scampering footsteps approaching. Gin wore an uncharacteristic frown and placed a practiced hand on the large knife in his belt as they both waited silently. In a matter of moments, and slender, panting figure emerged from the darkened alley ahead. The figure bowed deeply, albeit not gracefully.

"I'm here, Aizen-sama," the boy heaved as he tried to catch his breath. Aizen could hear the fear wrapped around the choked syllables. He smiled wider.

"Ichinose-kun, I'm glad you decided to join us."

"Of course, Aizen-sama," he said as he stood straight, the stupid, excited grin on his face reminding him of a puppy. "I would never miss a chance t-"

"That's very kind, Ichinose-kun," Aizen said with fake kindness, the boys face shifting again to relay his terror.

_Much better._

After several moments of silence, the young man could no longer hold his tongue.

"Ichimaru-san said that you needed me for something," he said softly. Aizen smiled wider.

"Yes, Ichinose-kun, I do indeed need your help again. In fact, it is only you who can do this job for me." He watched as the ignorant youth's face lit up again with joy.

"Anything you ask, Aizen-sama."

"That's very good to hear," he purred in satisfaction, eyes narrowing almost imperceptibly. "First things first, I have a job for you. It's on the east side of town, you serviced him last week. You must have made quite the impression, he requested you specifically." Aizen watched as the boy's face grew paler even in the faint light of the alley, and he felt a warm feeling spread through him at the thought of Ichinose's dread.

"But Aizen-sama, you saw what he did to me last week. You said I wouldn't have to go back there until I healed. The doctor told me -"

"I'm sorry, Ichinose-kun, I must have misunderstood you before when you said I could ask anything of you. Your debt to me is still accruing interest, and with the demand of this particular type of job I was willing to bring down your balance considerably. But if you can't be bothered to do this for me..." He shrugged his shoulders lazily and smiled at the now shaking youth.

"No, sir, you didn't misunderstand. I'll go," he said quietly, his voice pinched. "I'm sorry."

"That's a good boy," Aizen drawled. "Oh and he told me you did some preparing before you went last time. Make sure you don't try that again. It ruins the fun for him, you see."

"Yes, Aizen-sama," he said again, sounding on the verge of tears. Rolling his head in Gin's direction, Aizen nodded at him and watched as he passed an address to the young man, who accepted it without so much as a glance.

"Will that be all, sir?"

"Not quite," Aizen said, feeling his pulse quicken just slightly at the thought of his next request. "That job was just a coincidence. The real reason I called you here is a completely different task. As I said, only you can do it." The trembling boy finally looked up, eyes like that of a frightened child as he spoke.

"What is it?"

"I need you to round up some of your friends and help me teach an old pupil of mine a lesson."

"What kind of lesson, sir," Ichinose inquired cautiously. Aizen smiled an oily grin, eyes distant as his mind imagined the chaos that lie ahead.

"That I can take anything from him, starting with the boy he loves."


	22. Chapter 22

Hey guys! Here's chapter twenty two. Thanks for staying with me this long. All of your comments and support are so appreciated and they make sitting down to write tons easier. Please keep leaving me your reviews and don't hesitate to message me if you ever have questions or just want to talk about the fic.

Thanks for reading!  
kurokuun

* * *

"I'm coming!"

Ichigo jogged to his front door and flung it open, finding himself face to face with Renji. His red-headed friend gave him a slight scowl and crossed his arms.

"Did you even look to see who it was?"

"For gods sake, Ren, you told me you would be here at this exact time," Ichigo whined. Renji shook his head a bit and huffed before turning and waving Ichigo out the door.

"I ain't got all night, so let's move."

Rolling his eyes as he shut the door, Ichigo followed Renji to the street. They walked side by side quietly for a few minutes until Ichigo spoke.

"You didn't have to come pick me up, you know," he said softly.

"Yes I did," Renji replied quickly.

"Grimmjow's house isn't far from mine, I could get there by myself."

"Either you tell Grimmjow you were threatened or you don't go anywhere alone. That was the deal and you chose the latter. You promised."

Ichigo grumbled but kept his mouth shut at the reminder, not keen to argue. He stretched his arms up and over his head, feeling the cool night air drift under the hem of his sweatshirt.

"So," Ichigo began again with a wry smile, "are you excited to see him?" He watched a faint blush dust over Renji's cheeks, his friend scowling a little harder at his embarrassment.

"Dunno," he mumbled, trying to stay aloof.

"Come on, Ren, you can't play around forever. It's okay if you like Byakuya for things other than sex."

"I dunno," he repeated, looking much more bothered than he let on. Ichigo clapped a hand onto his shoulder, Renji's gaze turning to meet his.

"Look, I know that Byakuya is weird and aloof, and that he's older than you and kind of angry looking. But I think I know him well enough to say that he isn't the type to just fuck for fun. I also don't think he would ever want to hurt your feelings. So why don't you just ask him?"

Renji groaned and looked back at the ground before turning back to his friend, a hint of a smile on his lips.

"The day I have to take advice on men from my prude of a best friend is the day I shave off my hair. And I really love my hair."

The two shared a laugh, sides aching and eyes watering as they stumbled down the sidewalk. After a few minutes, they had sobered enough for Ichigo to notice that they were at the corner of the Kuchiki's street. He stopped walking.

"Hey, Ren, I can get the rest of the way there myself. You go hang out with Bya."

"Ichigo I told you, you promised. And Rukia would kill me if she found out."

"Good thing Rukia isn't here then, right?"

Renji's eyebrows knitted together fiercely, but he stood quietly as he thought. After a minute he muttered a curse before placing his hands firmly on Ichigo's shoulders, looking him hard in the eye.

"You promise that you'll text me when you get to his building? No negotiations."

"Sure," Ichigo said with a smile.

"She's gonna gut me alive, you know," he said with a sigh as he turned to leave.

"How do you know she's going to find out?"

"Doesn't she always," Renji called over his shoulder. Ichigo laughed and headed down the street towards downtown Karakura, alone under the placid looks of the streetlamps above.

* * *

"Ow! Sonofabitch," Grimmjow yelled, holding the burnt side of his hand under cool water at the faucet. He glanced at the clock and saw it was 7:42PM. Ichigo was supposed to be there by eight. Looking at the state of his kitchen, he sighed.

_Long way to go by eight._

Checking out his hand quickly and confirming that it wouldn't blister, he went back to the stove and whisked the red-wine reduction on the back burner before peeking at the lamb in the oven. Satisfied that the food was cared for he started to clean things up, setting the table and removing the chaos from the counter tops. He sighed and smiled, trying to image Ichigo's surprise at his feeble attempt at romance, unknowing that he wouldn't get a chance to see it.

* * *

Closing the door behind him gently, Renji peered into the darkness of the Kuchiki's foyer. He took a hesitant step inside, eyes trying to adjust. He couldn't hear anything, but he could feel something nearby.

"Ruk, is that y-"

Before he could finish he felt large but slender fingers clamp down over his mouth, another hand winding expertly around his waist. He felt cool, thin lips next to his ear.

"You have a habit of just strolling into my home, Abarai-kun," the baritone spoke to him evenly. Renji tried to restrain his shudder, staying silent as the hand on his side gripped tightly and turned him around. His breath came quickly, much to his embarrassment, but he looked the taller figure in the eye and spoke as firmly as he could.

"I hate it when you call me that."

Byakuya looked at him passively as he reached a hand up and pulled the tie out of his long, dark hair. Tilting his chin up, he coolly moved a hand to Renji's neck, running a hand almost tenderly along his pulse. Before Renji had time to stifle his reaction, the hand slipped behind his head and let down his own hair, unruly red lions mane falling forward around his shoulders. His hand then twisted among the locks and gripped hard before pulling down, forcing Renji's head back. He bit his lip to stifle some pathetic sound as Byakuya's lips returned to his ear.

"Then make me call you something else."

Renji couldn't hide his sigh as those words echoed in his ear. He knew what came next by now. Pushing up to his full height, he kissed the older man once before pulling away, seeing his face unchanged but gray eyes gleam just slightly in the light from the windows. Slipping his hands underneath his jacket and sliding it off his shoulders, Renji slowly unbuttoned the front of his shirt.

He placed a hand on Byakuya's chest and felt his heartbeat come a moment faster as the other worked on his belt. Renji had become addicted to those small tells of feeling, the little ticks that betrayed his porcelain doll exterior in favor of a passionate man underneath. He loosed a quiet whimper as he felt those slender fingers slip down the soccer pants already riding low on his hips. Byakuya then slipped his hands under his tee shirt, lingering long enough for Renji to remove it himself.

Standing there before him in the darkness, Renji had the unfamiliar sensation of self consciousness. His skin itched under the taller man's breath, and he had to stop himself from wrapping his arms up and hiding away. Almost as if he could sense it, Byakuya stepped forward, trapping him against the wall and his strong chest. Renji took in his scent, the light, sweet smell mixing with the cool air and reminding him of spring. Each time it sparked something in his memory, but it was not until tonight that his mind narrowed in on the scent's identity.

_He smells like cherry blossoms. _

Byakuya ran his hands down from Renji's shoulders to the very tips of his fingers. Then, in a very unusual display of affection, he leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on Renji's cheek. Feeling his face heat up, Renji looked away, only to have his chin softly redirected to meet his lovers eyes.

"Come," he whispered against his lips, hand clasping Renji's and guiding him toward the back of the sprawling house where the master bedroom was. As they entered and the older man descended upon him with uncharacteristic passion, Renji's phone lay forgotten in his pants pocket on the floor of the foyer.

* * *

Ichigo brought one hand to his upper arm, holding it tightly as he looked down the street.

_You're being irrational,_ he chastised in the sanctum of his mind. He felt his bright orange hair stand on end anyway, skin bristling at the sounds of night. Now well into the month of December, the world grew dark as pitch by 6PM. Watching his breath unfurl in front of him, he pulled his peacoat tighter around his shoulders.

A buzzing in his pocket made him jump, then smile as he took his phone out and checked the screen. It was a message from Grimmjow.

_Will you be here soon? It's dark out, so be careful. I'll be waiting. _

Feeling his stomach whirl around, he moved his thumbs and started to type on the keyboard in front of him.

_I'll be there soon, don't worry about me so mu-_

He stopped. The light was gone.

As he looked around, he realized that several of the street lamps ahead had been knocked out. He was a rougher part of town, a place where a more alternative crowd could be found. The figures around him were in some ways grotesque, body modifications trailing across their exposed skin, vibrant hair displayed like macaws feathers. Many of them were Karakura's foreigners, or just people searching for a more unique kind of entertainment than shopping or movies.

He had passed through this district before, ignoring the staircases leading down to underground raves and alt clubs like dark maws in the earth. He had never had any problems with the people here. In fact, he often received slight nods and knowing grins, like they recognized him as their own, possibly due to his own outrageous orange hair. Ichigo had never once felt threatened here. Not until tonight.

As he turned around slowly, he saw directly behind him three figures unlike the other patrons of this place. They smiled at him with obvious malice, though he didn't recognize them. Other people milling around seemed to avoid them too, a few sneering in their direction as they passed, but none seemed to notice that they were staring straight at Ichigo. Swallowing thickly, throat now dry, he tried to calm his pulse.

_I'll just turn around and act like everything is normal,_ he thought to himself. _ Maybe it's a coincidence._

But when Ichigo turned to face front again, he recognized how terribly wrong he was. Standing before him was another figure different from the rest. He had on a dark jacket with the hood up, and his hair dipped onto his forehead, partially hiding his dirty, hazel colored eyes. He smiled as he took in Ichigo's terror.

"Told you we'd be seeing you, didn't I?"

_Ichinose Maki._

Ichigo heard three sets of steps behind him as the others moved towards where he stood. His mind reeled, terror making the world bright and vivid as he tried to think of a way to escape. Hands still gripping his phone, Ichigo tried to ignore his pulse in his ears and think. Watching as a tattooed couple in all black descended down the stairs to a club, door denoting it's name as _Starrk Contrast, _Ichigo could find only one exit. He turned to his left and sped down the steps, ignoring the hiss of customers as he pushed through.

Entering the club, he was disoriented by the strobe lights above him mixed with the thrashing music, sounding like a track off an old _All That Remains _album. Hearing faint shouts from the stairs behind him, he started making his way through the room. He drove the crowd apart, trying to block out the noise and make it to the back of the building. Ichigo had been in the alleys surrounding these clubs before, and remembered that most of them had back entrances.

The crowd shifted into a different key as Bullet For My Valentine's _Hand of Blood_ started railing out of the speakers. Someone to his left pushed him hard and he smashed into a lone table, barely feeling the pain in his hip under the fog of his adrenalin. His heart still beat furiously in his ears as he stood back up and ducked again towards where he believed the back was. There was a commotion to his right and he saw one of the three thugs throwing a painfully slender young woman to the side and scanning the floor. Ichigo knelt down and tried to stay hidden.

Finally he saw a few meters ahead what he had been looking for: red letters glowing in even, capital letters denoting the fire exit. He scurried over to it as quickly as he could, climbing the short set of steps in front of it before placing his hand on the bar. He looked behind himself for only a moment, and saw Ichinose standing in the middle of the floor right at him. But instead of looking enraged at his escape, he simply smiled wider. Too frantic to process it, Ichigo flung himself forward and out of the door.

As he righted himself and looked before him, he saw a man standing there expectantly. Eyes not able to adjust from the flashing lights of the club, he couldn't make out any of his features besides a wide, oily looking grin made of too-white teeth. The man moved something at his side slowly but deliberately, and there there was a loud sound. Ichigo breathed in reflexively and heard an expensive-sounding engine purr to life from the street close by. The figure walked away and Ichigo leaned against the wall behind him, world now silent and starting to grow colder.

* * *

Grimmjow glanced at the clock again, face set in a terrifying scowl. He leaned against his kitchen counter and watched his apartment door, waiting for a sound from the other side. The open window behind him let in the sounds of the nighttime street. Distantly, he heard a sharp pop, not particularly uncharacteristic for the neighborhood bordering his. Even so, Grimmjow's eyes widened as he felt his temperature drop. Something was wrong.

He turned the stove off before slipping on shoes and his coat, opening the door without knowing his destination.


	23. Chapter 23

Hello, friends. So I'm really trying my hardest to work on this fic, but I feel like no one reads it anymore and it's bumming me out big time. I'm sorry. But I'm going to try to keep at it. Please, please, please take a second when you're done reading to leave a review for me. Reviews make my life so happy and happy life means I update sooner. Uh oh, I just blackmailed you. Sorry again.

Love, kurokuun

* * *

Grimmjow ignored the curious looks of passersby as he jogged down the street, searching for a trace of Ichigo. He paused occasionally and stood still, listening for a sign that he may be nearby. His breathing was heavy and quick, less from running and more out of anxiety. Something was very wrong.

He stopped at the mouth of an alley near a bar, waiting yet again. It was while he stood there that an ambulance careened down the street next to him, siren wailing as it went in the opposite direction of his search. Grimmjow's eyes followed it reflexively as he watched it disappear around a corner. He hesitated only a moment before turning a running after it.

* * *

Ichigo's eyes were open. He realized that he was staring at the bottom half of a trashcan. In his mind, he frowned. He had somehow become much shorter. He tried to look up, but for whatever reason his head wasn't responding. Instead, he let his eyes trail down towards the ground.

_Ah,_ he thought as he saw his legs spread out in front of him. He had become shorter because he wasn't standing up anymore. Why wasn't he standing up again? Thinking himself silly to sit down in an alley, he focused on getting to his feet. But to his dismay, his legs were also not agreeing with him, staying inanimate on the ground like those of a marionette without its master. He was confused.

Something was not good. It was December, but when had it become so cold outside? He was freezing all over except on the left side of his head, close to his ear. That's where his ear used to be at least, he wasn't sure. His ears were ringing a bit, the sound distracting and monotonous. He tried to sigh, but it was difficult, very difficult indeed. He felt the warm spot spreading slowly, sliding down the side of his face like a quiet caress. It felt good. He focused all his strength on his right arm and manged to lift it, searching innocently for the source.

His fingers fumbled several times against his cheek and near his eye, and Ichigo became frustrated at his lack of coordination. Finally it made its way to a spot just above and to the left of his eyebrow. But where the sharp curve of his brow bone should have been, there was some odd, mushy void. The absence of his skull was confusing, but not immediately alarming. He prodded at the area for a bit longer before letting his hand fall forward into his lap, the difficulty of holding it up becoming taxing. He saw something smeared on his hand, thick and dark colored, and wonderfully warm.

Other senses soon started to kick in. Ichigo smelled something sharp and hot, a bright scent that hung thickly in the air. The taste of metal and salt filled the left side of his mouth, making his tongue feel fat and fuzzy. His eyes started to adjust to the darkness and he noticed that there were two people hovering over him; one short, young girl with obnoxious green hair who looked frantic, and a middle-aged man who looked somber and disturbed, but collected. Faintly, past the ringing, he though he heard a loud wailing sound from far away, along with chatter from the two standing over him.

The sensory information was like an overload. He decided that he was too tired to think about the weirdness of the cold world and why he sat in an alley with two strangers. Right now he just wanted to have a good, long rest. But there was something nagging at him, a distant and unsure feeling of remorse. Somehow he knew he was disappointing someone, but for the life of him he couldn't remember who. But they were important. He was in love with them, that was certain. They – he – was strong. He would be able to tell him why he was sitting in an alley, why his head was starting to itch and burn and why Karakura was so cold tonight. He could fix it.

He was lovely. He was blue. Incredibly, fantastically, achingly blue.

* * *

Grimmjow sprinted toward the ambulance as it screeched to a halt. As the paramedics jumped out and started wheeling out a stretcher, he made it to the mouth of the alley and turned without hesitation. He could smell blood and cordite fresh on the biting wind that whirled around him.

"No," he whispered, though to no one in particular.

Pushing through the crowd of onlookers, he emerged in front of a crumpled mass of a boy against a wall. He sank down to his knees, ignoring the shouts from people around him. When Grimmjow saw the hole in the top of his head like a crater, he felt his heart stop for a moment. He placed a hand to blood-soaked side of his lover's face.

"Ichi," he called softly, not taking notice of the tremor in his voice. He saw his eyes roll behind the lids but not open.

"Ichigo," he cried with more force, moving his other hand to hold the boys head up. Finally the lids slid up and foggy gray-brown eyes met his. At first there was no recognition, but then he seemed to recall something. With seemingly intense concentration, he lifted a bloody arm up and touched the very fringe of the hair on Grimmjow's neck, leaving a purple smear behind.

The blue haired man watched in horror as blood trailed out of Ichigo's mouth as he tried to speak, but what came out was unintelligible. Before he was pushed away by paramedics, the older man could only make out a few words, following carefully the shape of his slender, bright red lips.

_Disappointed. Sorry. Love you._

It was then that Grimmjow was wrenched backward and the EMT's descended on his lover. He fought mindlessly to get to him again, wanting nothing more than to touch him and tell him that things would be alright. But then he felt a hand on his arm and looked down to find a very small man making his way to Ichigo with a look of fear on his face.

"I know you're afraid, but if we can't get him stabilized and to the hospital, he is going to die, sir. You have to let us work. If you're his next of kin, we can take you in the ambulance," he spoke gently. Grimmjow looked at him for a minute, mind trying to react normally.

"I'm his boyfriend," Grimmjow responded distantly. The small man looked around nervously before looking back at him.

"That's good enough for me, just don't tell anyone else. If they ask, you're his brother. My name is Yamada Hanatarō," he said nodding. Then he quickly left Grimmjow's side and moved toward Ichigo, taking control of the situation in a matter of seconds. If he wasn't so terrified, Grimmjow would have been surprised. Finally, after what seemed like hours, the paramedics loaded Ichigo's limp frame onto a stretcher and wheeled him quickly to the vehicle. He followed after the small man, Yamada, who looked back twice to make sure of him. Then they boarded the ambulance, the other techs accepting Yamada's nod as an affirmation of Grimmjow's presence.

Without thinking, Grimmjow moved to Ichigo's side, looking down at his eyes.

"Ichi," he said softly, waiting for any response that he had been heard. When there was no movement, he started to feel frantic, but then the same small hand as before rested on his shoulder.

"We think he is unconscious, but even if he isn't it would take great effort to acknowledge you. Just talk to him; even if it's only your voice, I'm sure it will bring him comfort," Yamada said with a soft smile as his eyes darted between Grimmjow and the beeping machinery displaying Ichigo's vital signs. Giving a stiff nod, Grimmjow turned back.

"Ichigo, I don't know if you can hear me, but I'm with you. I'm not disappointed, and you don't have to be sorry." Grimmjow felt his eyes burn and he clenched his teeth, uncomfortable at the forceful emotion.

"And I love you too," he said quietly, head bent forward in an attempt to disguise the pain in his voice. To his surprise, he felt Ichigo's hand move slightly in his direction. He took it in his own hand before letting his bowed head rest on it, feeling the chilly temperature of his normally heated skin.

"I love you too much," he whispered even softer, finally feeling a wet trail slide down his cheek.

_I won't let him get away with this._

* * *

Kurosaki Isshin busted through the doors of the hospital for the second time in less than three months. This time, his girls were not in tow; they were both at a relatives house for the weekend. He ran to the reception desk and spoke quickly to a nurse, who directed him to the ICU and his son's surgeon, a man with which Isshin was familiar.

"Urahara," he called out, watching as the tall man turned to meet him.

"I prayed desperately that he was not your boy, Isshin-san. I'm so sorry I was wrong."

"Everyone here is treating me like an idiot. Tell me what's going on."

He watched as the mans features grew grave, his normally silly countenance gone. Urahara Kisuke was one of the single most odd, childish, and disorganized people Isshin had ever met. In almost all endeavors he was but a bumbling fool, except for one – neurosurgery. There was no man in all of the eastern hemisphere who could rival his knowledge and skill in regards to the human brain. He was in a class of his own.

"I wish I had different news for you Isshin-san," he said quietly, hiding his face behind a chart in habit.

"Urahara-"

"Please, just Kisuke is fine."

"Kisuke," Isshin said almost pleadingly, "please just give me some answers."

"To put it bluntly, your son is on the boarder of our world and the next. He was shot almost point blank range in the head. If it was not such a small caliber, he would have died instantly. The round entered his skull just above his left eyebrow. There was no exit wound so the round lay trapped in his brain until I extracted it."

When the blonde finished speaking, Isshin thought he may vomit. He flopped down in shock onto the chair behind him. The doctor moved to the one next to him, voice even softer now.

"Ichigo has shown some very positive signs thus far. I am told that he was conscious from the time he was found until just before he arrived. That in itself makes me hopeful. Also, the round had not broken apart into many pieces so I was able to remove it all. But I can't lie to you, old friend," he said as he placed a hand on Isshin's shoulder. "The brain is the brain. Even I cannot control it. When he wakes up again he may have brain damage in the form of cognitive difficulties, decreased motor skills, or any other number things."

"But he is stabilized," Isshin murmured shakily, glancing over at his companion. "He isn't going to die, right?"

"I cannot be sure of that either. I've seen a man who bumped his head on a coffee table die in a matter of hours, and I've seen a young woman with a metal pipe through her face come in lucid and composed and recover entirely. It would be inappropriate of me to give you a definite answer."

"Fuck what is appropriate, Kisuke," Isshin said, raising his voice slightly. "Do you think he'll live or not?"

"I think he will live," the surgeon whispered back to him. Isshin hung his head and was still, his son's attending physician standing up and squeezing his shoulder before moving to walk away. But just before he reached the doors of the ward before him, Urahara turned around.

"Isshin, you said that no one here would give you straight answers when you first came up to me. Didn't you receive a call?"

"Only from reception," Isshin said quietly, eyebrows furrowed together in confusion. "They gave me the typical bullshit about not being able to release information over the phone. Why?"

"There was a young man who came in with your boy," Urahara said, apprehension becoming apparent. "He told me that he knew Ichigo's father and would give him a call and tell him what happened. He was in his early twenties, and had blue hair."

"That's Grimmjow," Isshin said, a cold feeling spreading through his stomach. "Where is he now?"

"I assumed he would be meeting you out front. You really haven't seen him?"

"No, not tonight. What's going on?"

"The police said they needed to question him, and he said he was going to get in touch with you then be right back to speak with them once you arrived. I thought he had stepped outside to make the call and wait for you, but if you haven't seen him," the doctor trailed off nervously, face growing pale to match his sandy hair.

"What does this mean," Isshin said, trying to ignore the strong sense of dread within him. He looked up to Urahara, whose face was grave as he went to talk to the security personnel at the main desk down the hall.

"It appears that this Grimmjow has disappeared."

* * *

Grimmjow didn't turn on the light as he entered his apartment. He knew it well enough that he didn't have to. He went to his bedroom first and grabbed a large duffel bag, filling part of it with clothes for the next few days. He then went to his kitchen and opened the doors to his cabinets. Removing all the dishes, pots, and skillets, he knocked firmly on the bottom of the backing there, wiggling it lose.

He slipped the false back free to reveal an additional space against the wall, measuring fourteen inches wide, twenty three inches tall, and four inches deep.

In the recess was a Beretta 92FS Inox, a .357 Sig Sauer P226 Enhanced Elite, two combat knives and their sheaths, and three boxes of ammunition. He checked the safety on the .357 and chambered a round before sliding it into the back of his waistband. He took one of the knives and slid it into the top of his boot. The other weapons and ammo he threw into the bag.

Grabbing and slipping on his coat, he pulled a beanie over his hair, sliding a dark pair of aviators up the bridge of his nose. Grimmjow looked around one more time. Walking over to a shelf, he picked up the small, silver frame that held the Polaroid of he and Ichigo. He removed the small photo and placed it in his pocket before picking his bag up and shutting the apartment door behind him.


	24. Chapter 24

Hey guys.

Chapter twenty four. This is the end, folks. You're probably going to hate me but I'm sorry, it just felt right. Don't forget to check out the epilogue; I'm not as heartless as you may think. As of now, I'll be starting work on False Awakening (the posted prologue with be re-written before anything) so check it out if you haven't done so yet! To everyone who stayed on board with me and read this all the way through, thank you so much for supporting my first fic. You don't know what it means to me. Much love, my friends.

kurokuun

* * *

He watched as Aizen stepped out of the doors to Hueco Mundo, Ichimaru trailing behind like an ever-present shadow. His driver opened the back of his luxury sedan and the two slid inside. The driver then moved with haste to the wheel and started the engine, signaling as he merged into traffic. Throwing a wad of bills into the front seat, Grimmjow spoke lowly to the taxi driver.

"Follow that car."

Picking up the money and cocking an eyebrow, the man shrugged and merged a few cars behind.

"Mind if I smoke," he called gruffly over his shoulder.

"As long as you don't lose them or get pulled over you can do whatever you want," Grimmjow responded evenly.

The large man in the front seat rolled down his window and lit up, dragging hard. After a few minutes of silence and peeking in the rear-view mirror, the man spoke again.

"These guys friends of yers or somethin'?"

Grimmjow's eyes narrowed behind his glasses.

"Or something."

The rest of the ride was quiet as they followed behind the black Porsche. After about a half an hour of driving, the taxi stopped and Grimmjow watched as the luxury sedan turned down a long driveway. They were quite a ways from Karakura by now, the rural outskirts dark and quiet in comparison. There was a farmhouse at the end of the half-mile driveway, and no property on either side twice as far. Adjacent to the farmhouse was an old, decaying barn.

"You want me to drive up to the house," the taxi driver asked with mild uncertainty. Grimmjow responded by opening the back door and stepping out, making sure his hat was pulled tight over his hair. He leaned into the passenger-side window, lifting his glasses to look the driver in the eyes.

"Turn around and go back to Karakura. If anyone asks who your last ride was, say it was a couple of newlywed yuppies who couldn't decide where to go. You've never seen me, that car, those men, or this farm. We clear?"

The driver's mouth twitched a bit and he shook out his shoulders, looking anxious as he turned back to the road.

"Folks've asked me weirder things. I won't tell no one I saw ya." With that, he put the taxi in drive and turned around, driving out of site down the street.

Grimmjow slowly moved around to face the farmhouse, ground floor now shining with electric light. He hiked his bag higher onto his shoulder before walking to the gravel driveway. Instead of following it's steady path, He veered off to the left and disappeared in the mass of trees. He walked quickly through the foliage until he was about halfway to the house, and then he stopped next to an evergreen tree. Bending down and unzipping the duffel, he pulled out the Beretta before closing it again and storing it on the mass of fallen needles under the watch of the old tree. He holstered a round and stood.

As he started his ascent to the farmhouse again he thought of the repercussions he would face after tonight. He tried to imagine a life far away from Ichigo. It made his chest tighten up so fiercely he thought it would implode. But he reasoned that it was the safest option.

_It's better this way._

Shifting his weapon so he held it in both hands, Grimmjow scanned the front of the house from close proximity under the cover of the trees. He had done a bit of research since he found out Aizen was in Karakura, and he was glad the bastard had chosen this place tonight. It had not yet been wired with a security system, cameras, or infrared; the prefecture required publicly posted permits for security systems like that and there was no trace of a permit for this address online.

For once in his life – or perhaps the second time - Grimmjow was in luck.

* * *

Nnoitra Gilga walked out to the car park under his apartment, a scowl etched prominently on his face. He had been trying to contact Grimmjow for hours with no response. This in itself wasn't atypical, but it was coupled with an instinctively bad feeling deep in his gut. That was not good.

As he approached the driver's side of his black SUV the feeling grew worse. He noticed that the alarm was no longer set, something that could only be done from his key fob. The alarm, however, had not gone off; he would have been alerted though text message and he would have heard it from his apartment. That meant someone had punched the key code into the door then re-locked it from the inside without setting the alarm.

There was only one person who knew the code besides himself.

Flinging open the door he was presented with three clean, white envelopes. The one on top had his name written neatly on the front; the other two had 'Nelliel' and 'Ichigo' on them, respectively. Nnoitra swallowed before opening the one addressed to himself.

As he read, horror bloomed inside of him like a knife slipping gracefully between his ribs. The letter was long, with different entries made on different days. The final entry was tonight, when his friend had finally cracked. It recalled how he found Ichigo and what he was prepared to do, before finally providing a detailed list of instructions that he would entrust to no one other than his best friend. Nnoitra sat down on the cold concrete as he read the last few sentences.

_ I'm sorry to leave this burden for you Nnoi, but you're the only one I could ever trust with it besides myself, and I don't have much time left. I was lucky to have a friend like you. Don't wait up._

* * *

Kuchiki Byakuya sat at his desk, mouth etched into the slightest frown. He had been worrying incessantly about Renji, being his sister's best friend and his... well, his something that was certainly not a friend. He was so consumed in thought about his predicament that he didn't even notice, the tall, dark-haired man enter his office and sit before his desk. After a few moments he realized he was not alone, although on the outside it would be impossible to see his surprise.

"Kaien-kun," he said quietly, addressing the bright-eyed man sitting before him.

"There's something bothering you," the younger man responded without hesitation. He wasn't sure how but Shiba Kaien, his second-in-command, could always catch the mostly imperceptible changes in his expression. It made the older man uncomfortable.

"Nevermind that," he said, watching Kaien smile as he bristled. "Why are you here?"

His subordinates face changed immediately to one of seriousness. The shift corresponded to a sudden tension in the small office.

"There was a shooting," he replied quietly, face still grave. Byakuya's eyebrows furrow just a bit more than usual.

"There are many shootings in Nagoya, and most of them are not reported directly to me by my lieutenant," he said quietly, keeping his voice even.

"This shooting wasn't in Nagoya, sir," Kaien continued. "This shooting was in an alley in Karakura. Someone told me that you know the victim."

Immediately Byakuya saw a flash of bright red splayed out against his pale, cream-colored sheets, Renji laying there breathing heavily as he left for his graveyard shift. He had said he would be going home soon after. He often took the alleys to get from place to place.

"Who," he asked with wide eyes that portrayed his fear.

"Kurosaki Ichigo."

Byakuya felt a confusing mix of relief and sadness at the name.

"When did forensics find him," Byakuya asked quietly.

"Forensics didn't find him," Kaien responded. "The owner of a night club found him, a bullet hole in the front of his head but alive. Paramedics took him to the hospital and apparently he's been stabilized. They don't know the extent of the damage though, although first responders say he was actually talking."

"That's good to hear. I know the boy's father; he lost his wife several years ago in a mugging. He should be spared the tragedy of losing his only son," Byakuya sighed briefly. He then turned back tot eh files on his desk, expecting Kaien to leave the office. When he remained before him, Byakuya looked up again, raising an eyebrow slightly.

"Is there something more, Kaien-kun?"

"Actually there is, captain. The reason I heard about the Kurosaki boy was because I got a different call from the hospital. Apparently, the victim's boyfriend arrived on the scene just before the paramedics did and rode with him to the hospital. The police attempted to question him because they said he seemed more angry than surprised, like he may have known the shooter. When they approached him, he said he was going to step outside and contact the next of kin then he would be right back to answer questions."

"And?"

"An hour later, the boy's father arrives and says the only call he got was from the receptionist. The other guy is nowhere to be found. Completely MIA."

"Name." Byakuya requested sharply, an uncomfortable feeling in his stomach. Kaien slid a mugshot across the desk to him, an attractive man with bright blue hair and eyes looking apathetic under the florescent flash.

"Grimmjow Jaegerjaques."

* * *

Grimmjow didn't bother hiding himself as he opened the front door and walked into the living area, raising his nine millimeter with both hands and pointing it at the man in front of him. He showed no sign of alarm, instead letting a wan smile stretch across his face.

"Grimmjow. It's been a long time."

The two men stared at each other for some time before Grimmjow let his thumb slide up and flick off the safety. Aizen merely chuckled. Then, Grimmjow felt a smooth, colt blade press down on the nape of his neck, just hard enough to draw a drop of blood.

"Let's not be hasty now, shall we," Aizen purred as he shifted and crossed his legs in the large armchair. Grimmjow didn't need to turn his head to know who was behind him. He was silent, and continued to watch his target.

"Grimmjow, you and I both know you won't kill me. You've had years to do that, and yet," he sighed, gesturing to the room around them," here I am." He cocked his head as he watched his former student and victim. After a few more tense moments, he spoke.

"Ichimaru," he called quietly.

"Right ya are, Grimm-kun," he whispered near his ear, flexing the blade a hairsbreadth.

"I know it wasn't you who shot Ichigo." The room was silent for a few minutes, Aizen's smile twitching ever so slightly. Gin sounded much less cheery as he answered.

"Howddya know somethin' like that?"

"Two reasons. One, you've always liked knives better. To quote you, "if you're going to hurt someone, minds well make it personal." Two, you've been waiting for an out. I want to give you one."

At this, Aizen raised a single manicured eyebrow, portraying his discomfort although he still wore a grin. Grimmjow felt the blade press harder into his neck.

"What makes ya so sure o' that? Last time I checked, ya ain't some mind reader."

"I don't have to been a mind reader," Grimmjow replied softly still, his voice even. "I know Aizen has been using you since you were little, just like the rest of us. But you were different, because he used you personally. Until you grew a little too old for his taste."

"Shuddup," came the venomous whisper from behind him.

"You were an orphan, right? I don't know if you were his first, but you must have been his favorite. That's why he's kept you by his side, even now. I can't imagine the things he did to you-"

"I said shut up," the silver-haired man screamed behind him, but Grimmjow didn't feel the bite of the knife again. He turned his head just enough to see his face, his typical grin shattered as he bared his teeth.

"You can walk away, Gin. You don't have to do this anymore, you know. He won't be able to stop you."

Ichimaru jerked his head up, bright steely eyes wide for once as he breathed hard. He stood shaking softly, his face starting to go slack as he thought. He looked away from Grimmjow to the man in the chair, who's smile was now gone.

"Ichimaru," he purred softly, smile faker than usual making it's way to his face. Grimmjow watched as the fox faced man let the knife drop to his side, and he took a small step back toward the door. Grimmjow turned again to Aizen, who was beginning to look panicked.

"Gin, what are you doing? You know those are lies. I never made you do anything, I loved you -"

Before he could finish the sentence, Ichimaru Gin was out of the door. The two men were left standing, Grimmjow raising his gun again as they heard an old truck engine rumble to life and start it's way down the gravel drive. Aizen bared his teeth witrh rage, yelling as he rose to his feet.

"You think you can do this to me? You're a fucking coward, Grimmjow, and you always will be! Nothing more than a pathetic, useless street rat who hurts others! You won't kill me and leave that boy alone-"

The blast was deafening.

Grimmjow lowered the gun and flicked the safety back on, smell of hot metal thick in the air. He watched dark red liquid tarnish the chest of Aizen's expensive white coat like rust. The man's eyes scanned up with a faint amount of disbelief. He stumbled backward and sat in the chair behind him, coughing weakly and staining his chin red to match the coat.

Grimmjow turned and took the keys to the Porsche off the wall. He ran outside and took his bag out from under the cover of the trees before going over to the sedan and getting in, heading in the opposite direction from Karakura towards the next train station.

* * *

_Four days later..._

Ichigo awoke to a terrible pain in his head. He lifted his eyelids slowly, hearing the beeping of his heart-rate monitor increase. A nurse rushed in to his right, asking him a series of stupid questions that he mostly ignored. As she prattled on, Ichigo turned his eyes forward to a small TV mounted on the wall. It appeared that the evening news was running, a story about a homicide on the outskirts of town. The sound was low so he didn't catch most of it, only that the police were looking for a possible suspect. A mugshot appeared of a large, handsome man with hair like a summer sky and eyes like a Caribbean ocean. Ichigo never felt the tears that slid down his face.


	25. Epilogue

"Goddamn calculus. This shit is like black magic."

"If you weren't asleep during the lecture, you probably wouldn't be having such a hard time."

"Oh shut up, you damn midget."

"After you, pineapple head."

"How about you _both_ shut the hell up so I can finish my anatomy notes?"

Ichigo looked up and grinned at his two friends, who smiled back at him from across the table, the three sharing a laugh. They sat outside of of their university, spending their time between classes together as usual. It was spring of their second year, and the cherry blossoms around them were peaceful.

Ichigo looked up at the sky as his friends started to bicker again, the bright color against the pale flowers around them reminding him of his favorite shade. He felt his chest tighten only slightly.

_It's been a while since I've thought of him._

After the shooting, Ichigo had taken several months to recover, although he was left with no permanent damage besides a small scar near his temple. He had been very lucky, but at the time none of it had mattered. The last time he remembered seeing Grimmjow was in the alley, his form fuzzy but still unmistakable.

As he had recovered, he had learned more of the story. Ichigo had recounted to the police what had happened the night he was cornered and shot, finally loosing the truth about Aizen and everything that had happened in the weeks prior. It was then that he had been told Aizen was dead. The minute he heard those words it was like his synapses had fried, and he finally put two and two together.

He went home after about a month in the hospital, his father and sisters looking after him as he buried himself in schoolwork to forget his pain. Night after night, he would watch the news to see if the suspect in the farmhouse homicide had been apprehended. Eventually the TV news stopped covering it so he scoured the internet, looking for a trace to no avail. The time passed and he graduated, staring university and devoting himself to his studies once again. With the support of his family and friends, he had eventually been able to resume a fairly normal life.

But he had never forgotten.

"Ichigo?"

He was torn from his train of thought as he looked across the table at Renji's expectant face.

"What?"

"We're going to have some drinks tonight with some guys from class," Rukia continued for him, looking hopeful. "You should come with us. I have a friend who'd really like to meet you."

Ichigo smiled softly as his friends attempt to once again integrate him back into the social scene. Although his daily life had gained a decent amount of normalcy, he had still never dated or searched for a relationship in the year and a half that his only boyfriend had been gone. Gathering up his books and putting them his his bag, he swung it over his shoulder and stood.

"Sorry Ruk, but classes are a bitch. Maybe next time."

Rukia shot a concerned look at Renji, who frowned at him.

"Ichigo, you know you can't keep doing this to yourself, right? He would want you to be happy."

Ichigo cringed as he spoke, feeling sick to his stomach. He turned his back and walked away quickly, ignoring the calls of his friends. He arrived home and trudged upstairs to his bedroom, laying down and wrapping his arms around his shoulders. Even now, he sometimes thought he could remember the touch of larger arms around him, the way they used to hold him in the same bed. It was much to soon to even think of dating anyone else. He wasn't sure if it would ever be time.

Rolling over and opening the top drawer of his dresser, he removed a small and slightly worn piece of film. He looked at the picture of he and Grimmjow, standing together in the kitchen. The photo was angled upwards, taken by Yuzu when she was quiet a bit shorter. It had come in the letter given to him by Nnoitra, explaining why he had shot his attacker and telling him how sorry he was. It was the only photo they had ever taken together. Curling up into a ball, Ichigo held back his emotion by falling asleep, plagued by dreams that were disturbing although he couldn't remember them.

* * *

When he awoke again, it was dark outside. He put the photo back into its place in the drawer before sitting up with his knees to his chest and rubbing his eyes. The full moon cast light onto his bed, the shadow of the tree out front visible. But as he looked closer, there was another shadow as well.

Ichigo moved to the window and was startled to the figure of a man sitting on his roof, cigarette smoke curling up from in front of him. He had dark hair that was swept back, although it still shifted wildly in the breeze. He opened the window as softly as he could, barely breathing as he crouched and slid out of his room. His foot shifted on the roof and made a sound, causing the figure to turn around.

Ichigo saw green eyes peer over at him, the figure dropping the cigarette and turning slightly to face him. They stared at each other for a few moments before the man turned his head down again and moved his hand towards his face. He shifted something in his lap, putting his hand in his pocket for a moment before looking back up.

This time, beautiful cyan eyes gazed into his soul with longing. It took Ichigo only a moment to reach him, shuffling into his lap and running his fingers through the thick hair he remembered though it was now the color of the night sky. His body shook as he cried silently in the grasp of the large arms encircling him. A familiar baritone voice, soft and loving, whispered in his ear.

"You didn't really think I could leave you forever, did you?"


End file.
